Fairy Tail: The Lightning Swordsman
by Ronin201
Summary: A young man joins Fairy Tail with one mission: find his beloved. He's about to see his life changed permanently by a mix of emotional pain, violence, new allies, and loss. His goal the most important thing in his life, he will push himself as far as he can to achieve it. OC-heavy story outside main plot. Owners of materials contained within reserve their rights.
1. Chp 1: The Stray Dog Swordsman

_Chp. 1: The Stray Dog Swordsman_

 _The Town of Magnolia_

The wide dirt road changed to stones only about a dozen yards away. It was a gift from the heavens, the young man concluded, a sign that his troubles were over. Since he'd started off on his own, any high in his life had been temporary. For most of his two months travelling, he'd be adrift, often alone. Kyousuke Ishuu couldn't stand loneliness; it was a fear that damaged him more than anything. However it had waned upon hearing of the Fairy Tail Guild. Kyousuke was vaguely familiar with the Guild System; he'd spent all his life in a small village with barely any outside contact. In the end though it didn't matter, Fairy Tail was supposed to be a guild whose strength was matched by a sense of kinship. When you were with them, you were accepted. His mind was certain those days were gone as soon as he earned membership. With this guild he would be able to have a set place to return to, and a source of steady incoming again. With that income, besides basic provisions, he would be able to buy information, travel more effectively, and eventually find Saeko. Patience, Kyousuke told himself, you'll be with her again.

His wooden sandals met the stones, clicking as he walked. The young man pulled off his conical hat and looked each way as buildings rose up. There were no signs except one welcoming people to the city of Magnolia. There was a mention of Fairy Tail, as well as its insignia. He stopped and examined it to get an idea of what he was looking for before proceeding forth. His first thought was to find someone with the mark on them in some manner. After all, the members had to identify themselves in some way, right? His second inclination was to ask directions from anyone willing to help. Another sign told him he was moving along the centermost street of the city. That was a good sign, he thought, it meant he could get anywhere from here. The young man came upon a few shops to the right, and his eyes fell on the wares out on display for sale. As his eyes swept up, he considered food and then directions, but he stopped. He spotted a young woman with the mark of the guild on her hand. Without a second thought, Kyousuke moved towards her.

"Miss! Miss! The one with the pink marking on her hand!" He called.

Lucy Heartfilia turned around as the voice's owner approached her. He was a little taller than her, a few inches as he got close. He was dressed in a blue robe that was open and black pants. She also noted a long wolf's tail on the nape of his neck bouncing around as he ran to her and the clicking of wooden sandals.

"I apologize Miss, but I have to ask: are you a member of the Fairy Tail Guild?" Kyousuke said, bowing both in apology and greeting.

"Uhm, yes, I am. Lucy Heartfilia." She replied, adding on her name.

"A pleasure to meet you, I am Ishuu Kyou-"

He had been so set on getting her attention that he had not even looked at her closely. He became very stiff, almost like a robot, and bowed again, almost throwing down his upper body.

"I am Ishuu Kyousuke, a practitioner of Lightning Sword Magic! May I ask that you take me there?!" He said, rather loudly. Lucy flinched back and shifted a little.

"Yeah, sure…"

Kyousuke mentally slapped himself. Remember who your heart desires, fool! He brought his hands to his sides and bowed again several times in gratitude.

"Thank you, Miss Heartfilia! I am deeply grateful." He said, still a bit shaky. With notable effort the man brought himself under control and followed her.

"Lucy is fine." She pointed out quickly.

The woman fidgeted with her side ponytail a bit while she tried to think of something to say to him. She wasn't used to being the one to bring new members into the guild. Juvia had come of her own accord, and Wendy and Carla had been collectively welcomed by the members sent to stop the resurrection of Nirvana. Then again, there was no real procedure or list of formalities. If anything she was surprised he'd just come running up to her like this. Kyousuke walked next to her, hat under his arm.

"You said Lightning Sword, right? I don't think we have anyone with that kind of magic in our guild." Lucy said, looking at the man seeking their guild. She took a step to the side, noting his dirty state.

"I can imagine, it's sort of a religion and a magic. If you don't believe what it holds dear and how it explains things, why learn it?" Kyousuke replied. She nodded.

"So it has religious connotations? I haven't heard of many magic types with that."

"Yes, we who bear the sword are blessed by Raiden himself to carry that blade which we do. We must keep it with us, always, lest we be punished and stripped of our power for losing it."

"So your blade is special?"

"To me, yes. It is my weapon, and mine alone."

The young man didn't hide his pride in that statement. Lucy led him down the street to a large building. He stopped and looked up at it. The building was like the others in design, and almost like a fortress of sorts. The guild's banner hung just below a bell tower, and was repeated several other places. He looked down and drew in a breath, puffing out his chest a little to exude some confidence. He was unkempt, he knew. Lucy tilted her head at him, and then tried the open-armed route.

"Nervous? Don't be, the people inside are very accepting." She said, recalling how she and Wendy had been absorbed like it was the greatest thing ever.

"Thank you, but I must prove myself worthy to them. This is nothing new; I just haven't done it in a while. I look forward to a good fight." He said, flashing her a smile. She returned it and nodded, pumping her fists a bit.

"That's the spirit! Wait…fight?"

Before the blonde could protest or explain, he'd thrown the doors open and gone striding in. Spotting a table nearby, he started walking towards it, removing his water jug, sack, and hat. The items were laid on the piece of furniture.

"I, Ishuu Kyousuke, have come with the aim of joining the Fairy Tail Guild! How do I have to prove my strength?! Who do I have to fight?!" He proclaimed loudly.

The banter in the guild lowered a bit at the statement. From her seat, Seraphim Chevalie looked up from her writing and pressed up her glasses. She couldn't see the speaker immediately, prompting her to stand up. She very quickly recognized his attire. Oh, a Lightning Swordsman! Those were somewhat rare in this part of Fiore! He wanted to join Fairy Tail, too, this was her chance to greet him before he was smothered by the welcoming committee. The bespectacled gal grabbed her notebook and began to walk towards him when a hand caught her arm. A woman with darker skin in a peasant's blouse and long skirt was the culprit.

"Hold on, Sera, I think his little challenge is about to get him in trouble." The older woman advised, pointing to another table.

Sera sat back down next to Gitana Santiago when she saw a young man with pink hair getting up. Natsu Dragneel had no idea who the guy was. He wasn't from a dark guild, or else he wouldn't have stopped to ask for a fight. In fact, Natsu hadn't heard anything besides the last part. Someone wanted to fight? Natsu was practically rocketed from his seat by the newcomer's shouting. He charged across the table he'd been at and leapt towards the other man in blue.

"You wanna fight?! You'll get it! Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" He shouted with a wide, toothy smile.

Kyousuke saw the attacker as he was in midair. He was momentarily caught off guard, only giving him enough time to draw his blade and sprint to the left. He would've assumed that there would've been some formalities, rules or an objective he had to meet to win.

"Electric Blade!" He shouted.

With a crackle, the Katana's blade became enveloped in a layer of electricity. Kyousuke turned in mid stride to face where his opponent had been, finding the man was again coming at him, fists ablaze. Kyousuke stopped and lunged forward, bringing his blade to meet the man's right hook. They stopped one another, though Kyousuke found himself having to dig his feet against the ground quite a bit more. His opponent was powerful, he could tell that immediately.

"So this is how it'll be, eh? Well then let's have at it!" Kyousuke said with a smile that matched Natsu's in a way.

"Alright!" Natsu hooted.

Kyousuke managed to get the initiative and move first next. He brought his sword up from low and to the left, and managed to land a blow. The young man threw his body into it, and tried to send Natsu as far as he could. He started to send the man over a table, but Natsu extended a hand and slowed himself as he was upside down, allowing himself to bring his feet down. He leapt back off the table to use up the rest of his momentum. Kyousuke didn't stop, charging forward with his sword poised for another blow.

Natsu moved to give himself room to attack. He pressed for the opposite side of the guild's main chamber, his opponent in close pursuit. With the wall approaching, he turned and raised his hands as if playing a flute.

"Fire Dragon's roar!" He declared.

Kyousuke was blasted back towards Sera and Gitana's table by a concentrated stream of fire. He wasn't burned, but he could feel the temperature rise. The man thumped across the table, almost rolling. He stopped just before Sera and got to his feet. The young woman, who'd pulled back her notebook to her chest, flinched as he stood up.

"My apologies." He muttered, not looking their way.

"Lightning Bolt Agility!" He declared immediately after.

With that, Kyousuke's next move became a blur to many observing. He charged towards Natsu, intent of using this ability to deliver the finishing set of blows. However he was unaware of one problem. Natsu Dragneel's abilities as a Dragon Slayer meant his hearing and sense of smell were very, very sensitive. Though it may have been harder to see Kyousuke, it wasn't hard to detect him. He warmed up a Fire Dragon's Claw attack, and connected it with Kyousuke's leg. As Kyousuke fell forward and sought to regain his balance, he used a regular left hook to knock his opponent back. Kyousuke landed against a pillar; Natsu came in for another blow, but it was met by the man's blade. Again Kyousuke dug in his heels and kept the man at bay. The only thing keeping him up was his resolve, he would join this guild! Saeko's safety demanded it!

"Impressive…I feel honored to face a strong opponent in order to join this guild." Kyousuke grinned, visibly beaten but still willing to fight. Natsu gave him a look.

"What do you mean? Fight to join, that's what you think?" Natsu retorted. He jumped back; Kyousuke leaned forward, taking a defensive stance.

"Don't try to fool me; no one enters anything like this without proving their fighting abilities." Kyousuke declared. He began looking for another opening, but the man dropped his fighting stance.

"Who told you that? You don't have to fight to get into Fairy Tail! EVERYONE is allowed, no question! Yeah we have rules but you have to be a member first to break them!" The dragon slayer barked, tone becoming one of scolding.

Kyousuke stared at Natsu, as if the words didn't register. He'd never been exposed to the concept that people could just be accepted into something like a guild. Everything had always been earned by a show of strength or aptitude. Finally Natsu bopped him on the back of the head, just enough to get him out of the trance.

"Hello, you awake in there, lightning guy?" He asked loudly. From above Happy floated into place to offer his usual sideline commentary.

"I believe he said his name was Kyousuke Ishuu? He shouted it pretty clearly when he came in."

"But how do you determine who's worthy?" Kyousuke pressed.

"Well, everyone is worthy. I'd tried to stop and tell you that, but you unfortunately got ahead of me and did…well that." Lucy added, hurrying to the scene.

Kyousuke looked at them both, still trying to register what they were saying. Was it a trick to lower his guard? No, then why would this guild be thought of so highly if it used low-level deception to win? Surely people had more sense than that; it wasn't even a matter of honor. A few others gathered around him.

"Jeez man, you lucked out. By now I think Natsu might have you planted in the ground." A man with a pipe in his mouth said.

Seraphim was quick to join the group, letting forth an "excuse me" as she passed each person. She felt it was best she explained things to the swordsman; she knew what his confusion was after hearing the exchange.

"Excuse me, I can help, Lucy!" She called.

Kyousuke looked at the young woman and felt a conscious effort to control himself arise. She was, like many women outside his home, shorter than him and very bosomy. He felt like he was being tested by these Fioran women outside his village every time he met them, as if they were trying to see if he was truly faithful.

"I am Cheavlie Seraphim." She replied. Her bow was near-perfect.

"Ishuu Kyousuke." He replied, returning the gesture. Okay, she knew one of his culture's customs.

"What they're saying is true, Kyousuke. You don't need to show your strength to join us; it isn't like the system you're used to. You may be a member Fairy Tail if you want." Seraphim said.

He tilted his head at her. Now she was telling him that he didn't have to fight, and he could tell she understood his reasoning, unlike the one named "Natsu". Lucy nodded again to reaffirm what Seraphim had said, and the few others that'd gathered agreed and told him he was plenty welcome. Kyousuke had no reason to think he'd be rejected because he would be perceived as "weak". After that it dawned on him that he had made a grave mistake. He sheathed his sword, the lightning disappearing, and dropped to his hands and knees, still facing Lucy and Natsu.

"I apologize deeply, Miss…er, Lucy." He said, catching himself.

"Hey, how're we supposed to be equals if you're on the ground like that? Sheesh." Natsu said. With that he yanked Kyousuke up by his collar, causing Sera to waved her arms in protest.

"Uhm, uhm Natsu, that's part of his culture, he's apologizing for misunderstanding how you join Fairy Tail." Sera stammered, visibly uncomfortable the young man's move might set off the newcomer.

"She's right, I'm trying to atone." He said, slightly irritated.

"Aw come on, no need to do that. You wanna join, you can join." Natsu smiled, extending a hand.

Kyousuke looked down at the hand, and extended his. He was familiar with the concept, an informal way of greeting another person. He reached out and accepted the gesture, moving his hand up and down with Natsu's.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail, Kyousuke." He said.

"Ah, thank you… Natsu?" He replied, dropping the "mister" since the man believed them to be equals. Natsu nodded.

"Yup, now you just need your guild mark!"

Seraphim had swiftly come to the warrior's side, childish glee filling her. A Lightning Swordsman was looking to join Fairy Tail, how exciting! She rarely, if ever, got to meet such people. There were so many questions to ask, so many things to understand and clarify. Books could inform but she'd always found actually talking to people about their ways got the best results. They highlighted things that might be lost in translation of otherwise falsely recorded. Once he was settled in and free, she wanted to see if he'd be willing to interview. Kyousuke was escorted up by Natsu, with her plodding close behind. As she often did, Mirajane Strauss was manning the counter. The white-haired woman looked at the newcomer, who bowed politely to her. He was able to control himself at this point, and there were more important things to get to.

"That was quite the entrance you made; I'm glad to see we have a new member of Fairy Tail, too. My name's Mirajane Strauss…I believe your name was Kyousuke?" She said. He nodded.

"Yes, Miss Mirajane…or do you prefer Mirajane?" He asked, realizing it would be a good idea to ask that.

"Mirajane is fine, now I believe you need your tattoo for the guild?"

Kyousuke nodded and turned around.

"My back would be best, thank you." He explained.

Mirajane nodded and rummaged under the counter, eventually standing back up with a stamp in her possession. She carefully pressed it to Kyousuke's back, between his shoulder blades, and applied a black tattoo to his skin. He closed his eyes, a bit surprised that it did have an odd sensation when applied, and tensed until the feeling passed. He opened his eyes and turned around.

"Thank you again, Mirajane." The young man said, bowing again.

Kyousuke came to realize that not only had he come closer to finding his beloved Saeko, but he'd found a home. He felt an overwhelmingly happy sensation; enough to make him almost want to cry. In the end only a few small tears formed at the edge of his eyes.

"Hey, are you okay?" Seraphim asked.

"Yeah man, why yah cryin? You're with Fairy Tail now!"

"I'll explain to you both some other time." He said with an enigmatic smile. It was the achievement he'd so desperately needed.

 _ **A/N: As a sort of forward, I'd like to add that the placement of this story in the timeline of Fairy Tail is going to be very vague for the purpose of not trampling over the actual plot too much. I say this mostly to give people an outright understanding of where we lie in the adventures of Fiore's rowdiest guild, or more give one to those who want it. A special thanks to Iggy the Strong and Free for his help with the Natsu fight and Nilesdaughter for again contributing people.**_


	2. Chp 2: The Interview

_Chp. 2: The Interview_

 _Fairy Tail Guild Hall_

Makarov Dreyar was the master of Fairy Tail, as Kyousuke had been informed. From what the young man understood, he was something of a sensei and a father to everyone here. Kyousuke knew him as one of the Wizard Saints, and thus he felt pressed to respect the man as if he were a god. He was joined by a redheaded woman in armor named Erza Scarlet, though when he asked if she was Makarov's second in command, it was revealed she was imply an S-class wizard. Kyousuke knew of the concept, but his lack of exposure to the world of guilds and their regulations meant all he knew was it was a high rank. She was only here to meet him, explaining herself as something of a den mother. The master and the newcomer sat on mats facing one another (Kyousuke was surprised the man looked to do things the way of his culture) while Erza occupied a chair off to the side. Immediately Kyousuke was apologetic about his misunderstanding regarding the entrance rituals for the guild. Both higher mages were firm about him understanding his actions had been disruptive, but they almost seemed…unsurprised that he had been given that impression?

"If you haven't at least heard a little bit about our reputation, Kyousuke, you'll find it's somewhat poor depending on who you ask. The Magic Council finds us a nuisance and most communities are happy we help but we tend to leave a bit of a mess." Makarov said, scratching his head in frustration.

"Thanks mostly to the over-eagerness of Natsu." Erza added.

"He was rather quick to fight." The swordsman agreed.

"It's fine now, Kyousuke, in hindsight you had a genuine misunderstanding and you meant no harm. Before I forget, I do like to understand the magic and reason anyone joins Fairy Tail. I consider anyone who joins this guild to be a child of mine. Feel free to explain your abilities in as much detail as you feel necessary." The elder replied, adjusting the fur-lined coat he wore over his suit.

"I use a magic known as Lightning Sword. It originates from the interior, and was popular among many swordsman of my culture. Various attacks and abilities centered around lightning, drawn from the god Raiden, are given to me by a blessed sword, this sword. I general rely on increasing my agility, speed, and strengthening my sword with lightning." The young man replied readily. It made sense Makarov would wish to know.

"As I'm fairly sure was demonstrated today…now if I may ask, what drove you to join our specific guild?" The older man inquired.

Kyousuke felt a flash inside him. Yes he did mind, but the man meant no harm by his question. He didn't know, despite his power. Few knew. Would Fairy Tail help him at all? Kyousuke decided to only give the bare minimum, then establish his place before asking for help.

"I have joined for a very personal reason, Master Makarov. I hope to find someone I care about deeply." He revealed, keeping his composure.

"Many do, my boy. One of our members, Cana, joined to find her father. Natsu has been searching for his mentor and father as well."

"I was also under the impression Fairy Tail was among the strongest and most honorable. I'd heard of some of your recent exploits, and it seemed this would be the place I could train and become stronger. My original sensei only taught me so much."

Makarov nodded and listened as Kyousuke explained himself. There was no reason to kick Kyousuke out for a simple fight. By that logic most of the guild, Natsu especially, would have to leave.

"Very well, I won't hold you back from your goals any longer. Erza here will show you around if you wish. I assume you're willing to help, Erza?" He said, looking towards the woman.

"Yes, I'd be more than happy to show Kyousuke around." She nodded with a smile.

"Thank you very much, Erza. Thank you too, Master Makarov." Kyousuke bowed to both people. The master nodded as if it were no problem at all.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail, my boy." Makarov smiled…

* * *

"But I wanna know about him! This could mean so much for my research!" Sera insisted. Gitana sighed and forced herself not to smile as the two sat at a table in the main portion of the hall.

"Don't invade the poor boy's personal space and take his undergarments; he just arrived." She told him.

Sera had already been talking about wanting to talk to Kyousuke and learn about his culture and school of swordsmanship more as soon as he'd gone off to meet Master Makarov. Gitana, though understanding of the young woman's enthusiasm, knew she was getting a little too excited about his arrival.

"Come on, it'd be great if Sera final stole a guy's underwear." Cana Alberona deadpanned. Her two guildmates stared at her; the resident alcoholic shrugged and took another drink.

"Wouldn't that freak him out, though?" Sera asked with growing concern.

"Yes, it would. Right, Cana?" Gitana agreed, looking pointedly at the woman who'd made the suggestion. Cana was unfazed.

"Seriously Sera, you've got the bust to seduce most of the guys here. Besides knowing most of em, they'd go for the whole "Hot nerdy girl" angle. Pick one and wrangle him in." She pressed.

"But I'm not even interested in him that way…" Sera protested quietly, pushing her index fingers together.

Her companions weren't listening, though. Sera thought about raising her voice when the front doors were thrown open and the sound of work boots echoed through the hall.

"Oy, you sorry bastards miss your favorite sexy motherfucker?" A loud, accented voice called with a laugh.

The guild gave a collective look of uncertain response as a tall man whose build was similar to Elfman Strauss or Laxaus Dreyar almost strutted in. He moved his head from side to side, as if looking for something, but whatever it was he didn't seem to find it before he reached Sera and company. Connor "Connie" Logan hefted his bag onto the seat of the table and held up a hand.

"Heya Sera, Gitana…" He nodded.

"…and Cana~" The man added, stroking some of his hair back even more. She gulped down some more drink, much more of it, and held up the middle finger of her free hand towards him.

"Aw come on, Cana, I know you're falling for me." He chuckled.

"Unless it's off a cliff, Logan, no." She replied.

Trying not to look too unfazed from another rejection, Connie left the group to get something to drink. As he approached Mirajane, also giving her a wink and making a pass at her before ordering. He also scowled at most of the bar as she more politely accepted his admiration but turned him down. The tattooed mage then returned to his bag to join the talking.

"…Anyways he's everything you want, Sera. Hell, he even managed to prove he can fight off the bat. I say steal his underwear." Cana grinned.

"Fight, huh? Guy any good?" the strawberry blonde asked, sitting back down with his own mug of ale.

"It was cut short cause of a misunderstanding over how you join Fairy Tail, but he did manage to avoid being outright beaten by Natsu. I'm pretty sure Natsu would've won by attrition soon enough, though." Sera replied, looking at Connie.

"Yeah, and little Sera's already talking about getting to know him." Cana grinned.

"Not like that!" the bespectacled one insisted, a bit more loudly.

"So Sera's finally wanting a guy? Well shit, I say talk to him all yah want fore some else does, lass." Connie advised before chugging half of the first of many rounds.

Sera was about to protest further when the subject of the conversation appeared from the direction of Makarov's office, Erza with him. Everyone but Connie quieted. He slammed the rest of the ale like it was water and let the empty mug hang on a finger.

"So Sera's crush the skinny guy with the girly ponytail? Looks like a wuss; bet he doesn't even drink." He grinned. Sera had given up trying to correct others.

Suddenly Connie swaggered towards the man.

"Connie, what're you doing?" Sera demanded, leaping across the table top after him.

"…I do have a sword similar to yours, as well as armor. The sword is known as Demon Blade Crimson Sakura." Erza said.

"It sounds quite powerful. I'm both tempted to fight you in a match and scared at the prospect of facing a demon sword, Erza." Kyousuke laughed lightly. She gave him a sympathetic look.

"You can if you're willing to try. We heavily encourage developing skill and power here." The redhead pointed out.

"If you practice swordplay perhaps we could spar in the near future. I haven't faced another opponent with a sword as of late." The one with black hair proposed.

"I'll keep it in mind. Now, I suppose you'll need a place to stay?"

"Yes, if that isn't too much trouble. I must confess I have little money, though. Is there a way I can pay my rent through work?"

"The room is free; however your food and other provisions are your own matter."

"Oh, thank you!"

Kyousuke bowed yet again. As he straightened up, he noticed an imposing character coming from his left. The man, dressed in a tank top and cargo shorts, stopped and looked down at him.

"Ey Erza, this the new guy that caused a ruckus?" He asked in some vernacular Kyousuke didn't recognize.

"Yes Connie, this is Kyousuke." Erza spoke up, turning towards him.

"How may I help you?" the swordsman asked, unconsciously noting where his blade's handle was.

"Can I borrow 'im a second?" Connie asked, ignoring the hardened look he was getting. Erza nodded, knowing Connie would've just swaggered up and raised his fists if it were a fight. Kyousuke wasn't as trusting yet, though.

"Oy, its cause I've got someone you should meet, Suzie." He retorted to Kyousuke's continued looks.

"My name isn't Suzie." Kyousuke pointed out. Connie rolled his eyes as he turned and beckoned Kyousuke towards Sera, who was trying to make herself as small as possible. Great, another thickhead like Natsu…

"Hey Sera, brought yah a present." He spoke up, making way for Kyousuke.

Sera looked at Kyousuke and stood up to bow, nearly falling back and out of the table's bench. He smiled pleasantly, not privy to why she should be so flustered.

"Ah, Miss Sera…I mean Sera. Thank you again for helping me understand the ways of this guild. Your kindness is admirable." He said with a large smile, bowing.

"Oh it was nothing; I'm just well-versed in many cultures!" She insisted, admonished she was being so highly praised.

"Then perhaps you would like to help me with Kyousuke's tour? Someone with an understanding of his culture may be good in translating alien concepts." Erza suggested as she approached.

"Do it!" Cana shouted.

"Yeah, make nice and converse." Connie added, motioning for them to get closer.

Sera looked at Gitana for some kind of rescue, but she only shooed her along with Erza and Kyousuke. The older mage was all too happy to entertain the little bookworm's growing fascination and excitement now, within certain bounds. Sera's reactions to being encouraged showed she was shy enough to not worry too much over. The bespectacled girl shuffled to join the two other sword-bearing mages and followed along quietly as Erza explained the layout of the guild. When she got to the subject of jobs, Kyousuke seemed especially interested.

"This job board, how does it work? Can I take any job I wish?" He asked.

"It depends on your class…are you familiar with your class?" Erza said, assuming a more serious tone. Kyousuke shook his head.

"Then for now you're only allowed to pick from the general board downstairs. When and if you achieve the rank of S class, the board on the second level of the guild's main space will be open to you. I trust, given the way you carry yourself, you understand the value of proper judgement and life over material wealth." She explained. He nodded.

They continued down the hall to the rooms the guild had. Very few people actually lived at the place; many made enough to live off in the city. Kyousuke's space was a small, square room with a low bed and two-drawer dresser. He also had a large pitcher for drinking water.

"The baths are communal, much like an Onsen. They're separated between men's and women's." Sera chimed in. Kyousuke nodded in understanding.

"If they're no further questions, I'll let you get settled in Kyousuke." Erza said before providing him with a key and leaving.

Kyousuke thanked her and set about looking for a sword rack to rest his weapon upon. His only other possessions were his hat, hanging from the back of his neck, a water jug and a small sack to carry money in. He'd been cursed with the loss of his small bedroll a few days ago. Kyousuke examined the blanket on the bed to determine if it could substitute as a new bedroll, surely he could find some straw to tie it once it was rolled up. As he set down his hat and jug, he noted Sera again. She was still there by the doorway, pushing her index fingers together.

"Sera, do you know where I could find a sword rack?" He asked.

The girl looked up at him and shook her head. He noticed she was avoiding eye contact; he tilted his head.

"Are you okay, Sera? You aren't ill, are you?" He asked. She shook her head.

"No, I'm perfectly fine." She insisted.

"You're shaking…" He observed. Oh damn it all, Sera thought. She forced her view up towards his face and balled up her fists.

"I-if it's not too much trouble, would you mind telling me more about your culture and upbringing sometime, Kyousuke?" Sera squeaked out. She braced herself reflexively.

"Of course, I'd be happy to share knowledge about my peoples' ways!" the swordsman replied with a large smile. Sera looked back up at him, eyes wide, and then clasped her hands together.

"Oh thank you Kyosuke! You have no idea how much this means to me! I can learn so much from this…I need to get my notebook and pen and make sure I can properly archive this once it's been organized and cleaned." She gushed, talking at an ever increasing speed. The woman caught herself.

"Excuse me…anyways since you're willing, when would work best for you? I imagine you'd like to get settled in." Sera said, adjusting her glasses.

"I believe I should be settled, but I need a sword rack. I should do a job as soon as I can to buy one." He replied.

"Well, you certainly are driven Kyousuke." Sera observed cheerfully.

He nodded and left his room to go to the bar, Sera following him. He was moving at a notable quick pace, immediately establishing a tab for his food and getting his room's key from Mira. In his own head, Kyousuke needed these things done as soon as he could. A source of income was important, but he couldn't do it without having a way to get food and a place to sleep. As he pocket the key, Mirajane looked to the newcomer's side and noted Sera.

"Made a friend already, Kyousuke?" She giggled.

"Hmm? Oh Sera! I would consider us to be on friendly terms, yes." He nodded before turning towards the job board. Mirajane bid him good luck as she noticed his path.

The setup was familiar to how he'd gotten past jobs, but with a plethora of them available across locations. Kyousuke's eyes became nearly overloaded with the variety available to him. Rescue this person, find that item…where did he start? With a troubled expression he turned to Sera. She nodded in understanding.

"Can I make a suggestion, Kyousuke? Find a team, people who'd be willing to accompany you. With more people, even if you have to split the reward, you can take bigger jobs and thus get more experience and payment. While what Erza said is very true, there is strength in numbers." She pointed out. Kyousuke nodded and rubbed his chin in thought.

"Would you like to assist me, Sera?" He asked, looking at her.

"Me?" She repeated. He nodded and held out a hand.

"As your culture might say: Deal?" He added.

She considered the offer a minute, and then nodded.

"Deal, I'll help you since you agreed to talk to me about your art and lifestyle." She conceded.

They both looked at the offers. Kyosuke noted one and leaned closer to read the details.

"Help, we seek brave mages to rid our village of a demon that lives in an abandoned mill up the mountain from us. It has not harmed any of us, but it often kills our livestock." He conveyed.

"Oh, that sounds similar to The Tale of the Hollowing Mountain! And it's near Mount Sanae? That's wonderfully scenic terrain!" Sera exclaimed. Kyousuke's eyes lit up at her mention of a familiar story.

"It does! It just needs a shrine priestess to bless the warriors who go to face the demon with luck!" He replied. She nodded enthusiastically.

"They may be in that region! We could relive the exploits of Teikaro Shinji!" Sera said, stars in her eyes.

"We could! I never thought I'd get to relieve the greatest adventure of such a legendary swordsman!" Kyousuke replied, just as ecstatic. Reality then made landfall.

"…But we'd need several more warriors like me." He noted, becoming crestfallen. Sera shared his mood, and then looked at the board again. Her eyes scanned and scanned until she found something that was possibly in his neighborhood of skills.

"Well…how about that one?" She asked, pointing towards another poster. Kyousuke followed her arm. He nodded approvingly more and more as he read the details.

"Yes, that seems like the perfect way to start." He agreed.


	3. Chp 3: Viva La Revolucion

_Chp. 3: Viva La Revolucion_

 _Fairy Tail Guild Hall_

"Why do yah need me to come along? I just got back from a four-day job." Connie asked, working on his third mug of alcohol.

"Because Connie, while he did demonstrate his abilities, Kyousuke's still new. For my own safety, and Kyousuke's as well, I'd like at least one other mage with us. I'd prefer someone I know, too."

The Steel-Make mage gulped down another considerable part of the mug before he answered.

"I would ask Gitana, but she's waiting for Yvonne to come back tomorrow. Please? You've never said no before to one of our adventures." Sera pressed.

The taller of the two considered his friend for a minute. The job itself was simple, to help a town rid itself of a rather nasty mayor. It might've been a bit of a controversial job, but the place was pretty off the grid. Not like the government of Fiore would really do much to rectify some kind of situation like that, anyways. The mayor most likely had lackeys at their command though, and to be fair Sera wasn't the most powerful in the guild. Able to protect herself? Yes. But he went along with her so often for a reason. She was also right; Kyousuke was new and still a wild card in terms of performance.

"Alright then, I'll go with yah…I'm getting paid, right?" He agreed.

"Of course!" Sera replied, thanking her guildmate with a friendly hug.

"Good, gotta keep the tab paid before Mira or someone else starts bugging me about it again." He grumbled.

"Then drink in moderation." Gitana suggested from his right.

"Wash yer mouth out, Gitana. Such liquids help me ease away from a long job and then get me charged up to kick some ass around here!" Connie boasted.

"And leads you to get tattoos of the names of all your ex's on you."

"…Hey I did those outta love for them. One day Cana will be tattooed across my heart."

"KEEP DREAMING, LOGAN!" Said woman shouted from the bar. Connie frowned and plopped his head on the table they were at.

"Aw come on, Connie; you'll win her someday." Sera tried to assure.

At the same time, Kyousuke approached them with a cup in hand, filled with tea. He sat down and nodded at the familiar faces.

"Hello again Sera and…Gitana, yes?" He greeted. Gitana nodded back in confirmation.

"Good to see you again, Kyousuke. Enjoying the guild so far?" She asked.

"Very much so, and hello Connie?" He replied, looking at the other man.

"That be me. Connor Logan at yer service, lad. Call me Connie, only me mum calls me Connor. Here to drink all the booze and steal all the pretty lasses." He replied with a smirk. Kyousuke gave him a slat look.

"Stealing women like that isn't very honorable, Connie." He pointed out.

"The humorous type, eh?" Connie winked.

Kyousuke wasn't sure what to make of him for now; he looked at Sera instead.

"Sear, if you'll forgive me, I'd like to know a bit more about you." He remarked, taking a drink of his tea afterwards.

"Me?" she asked. The woman became absorbed in the table.

"We are going to be allies, at least for this job. We should get better acquainted then, right?" He smiled. Sera looked back up at him, then thought about his reasoning a minute.

"Understandable…okay Kyousuke, what do you want to know?" She asked.

"The basics, I guess. What kind of magic do you practice?" He shrugged.

"Well, I know two kinds, actually. Script and Pict Magic. I can learn almost any language in minutes and write up a number of small traps and weapons to defend myself. You could say it allows me to be something of an expert on the tongues of the world." She explained. Sera couldn't help but be a bit proud of her mental collection of knowledge.

"Is that why you're so interested in me? Or at least the art of combat I practice?" He went on. Gitana coughed over a chuckle.

"No, no I'm not interested in you! I mean not in YOU, you. I mean, no I don't mean, I…" The bookworm blurted and stammered. After a minute Sera stopped and took in a breath.

"Allow me to rephrase that; apologies, Kyousuke." She said, bowing her head apologetically.

"Go ahead." He allowed. He wasn't sure what had sent her into the panic, anyways.

"Yes in a way my knowledge of language leads to my fascination with other cultures, yours included. Learning about other ways of life outside of mine is so exciting! It's like letting the world be your teacher!" Sera gushed.

"That's a good outlook to have on life." Kyousuke admitted.

"My parents are both archeologists; you could say it's almost genetic."

"Having parents that support your endeavors is excellent."

"Well ain't you two just become birds of a feather. That make me the third wheel now, Sera?" Connie remarked.

"Of course not Connie, you're still a friend!" Sera assured.

"Besides, I've only just met Sera." Kyousuke added, though he didn't fully understand what Connie meant.

"You may be more of the fifth wheel, since I'm here." Gitana responded oh-so-innocently.

"You're breaking my heart Gitana, breakin it wide open." Connie replied flippantly, finishing another successful exchange of putt-downs. Kyousuke gave Seraphim a confused look as to why they were talking to each other in such a way.

"It's how they express their friendship." She explained. The swordsman remained confused, but still bobbed his head up and down slowly.

"So then we'll leave tomorrow morning?" He asked.

"Reminds me, Sera invited me along. She thinks it'd be best to have three people, given the job. Her own skills aren't also geared for direct combat, so it'd be best to have two fighters goin in." Connie announced.

Before Kyousuke could ask, Connie held up his left fist. It became encased in steel; Kyousuke nodded with an impressed look and looked over to the bookworm.

"Very well…Sera, I'll see you both tomorrow morning. I'd like to do a little training and sleep beforehand." He said, as cheerful as ever. She nodded and hid her face as he left. Kyousuke did indeed have a very handsome appearance when she looked at him closely…

* * *

"Kyousuke~"

The swordsman looked to his right as his lady noble stood nearby, radiant as always.

"Yes, My Lady Saeko?" He asked, ready for whatever her command might be for him. She giggled and leaned towards him, planting a kiss against his cheek.

"So stiff even when we're alone, my darling Kyousuke. Please, call me Saeko; you've earned that much from me." She said, grasping one of his hands.

"As you wish, My Lady Saeko." He bowed obediently. Her smiled remained and he corrected himself.

"Saeko." Kyousuke said simply. A nod of approval and another kiss.

"That sounds much more natural. From now on you may call me that when we're alone. In official capacities I trust I shall still be addressed as "Lady Saeko", understood?" She added, becoming serious for a moment.

"You can expect no trouble from me, Saeko." He assured. Satisfied he'd picked up quickly on the norms, Saeko nestled herself against him. Kyousuke's head felt light as she expressed her feelings.

"Kyousuke, if given the opportunity, would you be willing to try and be a suitor for me?"

There was a moment of silence as he registered what she'd said. His blush was the indication he'd heard her.

"Yes, My Lady Saeko, I would be honored to win your hand in marriage!" He blurted out. The young man stepped back and clamped a hand over his mouth, before bowing repeatedly in apology.

"Excellent; I'll make the arrangements."

He stopped and stared at her, still cherry red from the moment. She blushed back, tilted her head and smiling at him.

"You'll what?" He gaped.

"Silly Kyousuke, you heard me." The raven-haired noblewoman beamed. Before they continued on her walk, she had one more thing to say.

"Do your best; I'll be waiting for you."…

* * *

Kyousuke stared at the small portrait resting atop the room's dresser while he sat meditatively. It wasn't a good idea to think about Saeko's affection at a time like this, but it was one of those days. Days when he wasn't able to distance himself from his worry over her or the fact that he had no idea where she was. He wouldn't give up until he found her, though. Kyousuke closed his eyes and stowed his feelings' he had his first job to complete. He took his sword in both hands.

"Blessed be those who carry out justice and defend virtue in the name of Raiden." He said solemnly, lifting up the weapon with both hands and lowering his head.

After a minute he breathed in, raised his head and opened his eyes. The swordsman stood up and placed his blade at his side. The guild's main space was quiet with most people waking up still. Only Mira, Sera, Makarov and Cana. He bowed to the four, all closely gathered.

"Good morning, everyone." He said.

"Ah, good morning Kyousuke. I heard you and Sera have already found a job?" Makarov asked. He nodded.

"A town requires help with its oppressive leader."

The master let out a pensive sound and went back to drinking whatever he was.

"How much you bein paid?" Cana asked, already on her first drink of the day.

"Thirty thousand split three ways. A modest sum for each of us but I think Kyousuke's more interested in the experience." Sera replied.

"The money will also help." Kyousuke added, taking a seat for breakfast. As he ingested his normal diet of fish, eggs, and rice, he noted Seraphim had a particularly large satchel over her shoulder. Travelling as minimally as he did, he motioned at it.

"Why the bag?" He asked.

"Oh! Uhm…I like to keep materials with me for research wherever I go. It's a habit I like to keep up." Sera admitted, toying with one of her ears.

"Our little bookworm will manage to find something new every time she goes out." Connie boomed from afar as he came lumbering into the hall.

"Enjoyin the hangover, Logan?" Cana asked as the redhead took his seat at the bar, noting the sunglasses.

"Fuckin hangovers ain't nothin. I've had worse pain stubbing mah toe than from drinking too much. Sunglasses are cause I'm goin on another job." Connie replied confidentially. He then looked at the two other members of his "team".

"Also, when we get back, YOU owe me a beer, and YOU owe me a fight." He said to Sera and Kyousuke respectively as Mira brought him his usual breakfast.

"Yes, the standard fee." Sera nodded in understanding. Kyousuke cocked a brow.

"Why do you wish to fight me?" He asked.

"I wanna test yer skills mahself, buddy. I do it to most everyone. Natsu, Elfman…that weedy little shit Alzack."

"That kind enthusiasm can get you killed." Kyousuke warned before another mouthful of his meal.

"Save it for the training grounds." Connie replied, moving his attention to his own food.

"I don't need to remind you, Connie…" Makarov added.

"You don't, sir." Connie assured.

The trio finished their food in a timely manner and left without ceremony. Kyousuke found himself in the lead for the time being. It was understandable, as in the end this was his job. He stopped at the town's square to gain his bearings and ask something.

"How will we get there? Horses?"

"…The train?" Connie answered, pointing towards the sign directing people to Magnolia's station.

"Oh." Kyousuke blinked. He nodded and walked in the direction advised.

"Sera, this lad seems to have his head in some place a few centuries back." Connie whispered to his friend.

"Aw don't be like that; it's kind of adorable in a way." She replied, heading off after Kyousuke. And she said she wasn't attracted to him.

Sera plodded along next to Kyousuke. While she searched for conversation, she examined the side of his face. Yes, he was handsome, and it was perfectly okay to admit that. It wasn't uncommon to acknowledge someone's physical beauty in the same way you talked about art. Old philosophers had done such a thing with their pupils.

"Kyousuke." She spoke up. He looked at her as they ascended the stone steps to the train station.

"Yes, Sera?" He asked.

"If it would be all right with you, may I ask you some of the questions on the train? It could help pass the time." She suggested.

"I'd be glad to, given all you've done for me in my short time with the guild." He smiled.

Kyousuke looked at the train in awe as it became more and more visible. The machine seemed the length of a palace on the outside, but on the inside felt no bigger than his room at the guild. He sat down and stared out the window for a moment. He looked back at Sera and Connie as they sat down. His eye caught something around Sera's neck, which he recognized instantly. He had the same luck talisman hanging from his neck. She noted him, and began to blush. At first Sera wondered if her shirt might be showing too much. It shouldn't be; she didn't wear any kind of showy clothing on jobs for practical reasons.

"Uhm Kyousuke…" She said. He seemed to snap out of a trance and realize what she was thinking.

"I was looking at your talisman…I did not mean do make you feel I was being lecherous." He apologized with an ashamed blush. Connie snickered and got a knee to the shin from Sera for it.

"Shall we get to the questions?" Kyousuke asked quickly. She nodded and pulled her messenger bag onto her knees.

"Yes, good idea." She agreed…

* * *

"Now approaching the town of Serenity. Please remain seated until the train has stopped."

Kyousuke looked out the window as they exited what had seemed like hours of woods and began to travel across what he believed were agricultural plains. People tended to them, planting seeds for the coming months. He wondered for a minute what crops they might be planting, and if his family was well along in their own planting. The swordsman brought his eyes towards the front of the train to try and spot the town they were hoping to reach. He first spotted something else, though: a wall. No, they were constructing one. Why? Or at least, why now? If this mayor was so oppressive, why were they building a wall now? Kyousuke wondered if this was out of their set of skills.

The town had the station almost exactly in the center of it. From what the trio could observe, the entire city was overseen by one large building at the crest of a hill. The rest of the town was organized very neatly into rows, almost in the manner of a fortress of sorts for the Royal Military of Fiore. Very fitting of a dictator, Sera would say. Even then the city kept a bright air about it, almost too bright as if it were trying to cover the truth the mages had learned. The trains breaks hissed and the long machine came to a rest inside the station.

"Well, I must say I've never entered a city I wasn't sure was entirely friendly. To the point I have to play ninja." Connie remarked as he took his bag from the overhead storage area.

"It isn't in my normal behavior to sneak around like this, but in the interest of knowing our enemy's abilities I'm fine being discrete." Kyousuke replied.

He led the other two onto the platform and followed the flow of people with his eyes. Their employer would not meet them directly at the station; a café called "The Center of Serenity" (how appropriate a name). Anyone getting off, which wasn't many individuals, were heading towards a gate of sorts labeled "Security Point". Men in dark gray shirts with matching insignia on their left breast areas with swords controlled anyone coming to the town. The soldiers showed no sign of being government troops, and there were quite a few of them. Kyousuke gauged their blades, weapons referred to as "sabers". Weapons similar in size to his, used for slashing attacks; a firm, fair opponent in weaponry he concluded.

As they approached the passage into Serenity, which formed into a line, Kyousuke felt the eyes of the men turning on him, then his sword. Their reaction was immediate, siphoning those before him through quickly. He felt one step behind him, though not attempt to approach him.

"Can I help yah, buddy?" Connie asked.

"Just please remain still, good sir." The soldier replied.

Kyousuke looked at the other soldiers as they tensed or faced him in preparation to attack. He kept his stance nonthreatening; it was most likely his weapon. People across Fiore had different reactions to such a display. He turned his head to reaffirm Connie and Seraphim's position relative to him, and then stepped forward as a man bearing what he guessed were markings of honor and rank stepped forward.

"You must be the Fairy Tail mage that decide to come and challenge His Astuteness Calamet. Foolish that only one would come, but all the better for us. Under the laws set forth by his Astuteness you are under arrest for conspiracy to depose his rule. If you'll surrender your weapon and follow us, there will be no struggle." He said curtly.

Now it was all clear. Kyousuke's mind began to seek a way out. The first course of action was to take down this man…but he needed to alert the others he planned to act soon.

"I don't think it'll be much of a struggle at all." Connie spoke up, as if he were commenting on the situation like a bystander.

He winked at Kyousuke, and it became a little clearer to the guild's newcomer. Sera nodded very slightly, using the act of adjusting her glasses to mask her signal to Kyousuke. Whatever he did, they'd be aware of it; he looked back towards the man as another was coming forward with some kind of restraints. The senior of the two repeated his order, adding Kyousuke would be penalized for showing further resistance. The swordsman had an enigmatic retort.

"Lightning Agility."

Kyousuke drew his blade as the other man tilted his head.

 _ **A/N: The traditions surrounding Kyousuke's school of art are largely of my own thought due to Fiore being it's own world. I figured despite influences of the real world (like his samurai influences), many cultural aspects could arguably be different.**_


	4. Chp 4: Combined Arms

_Chp. 4: Combined Arms_

 _Serenity Train Station_

The first strike; it was supposed to be fast, precise, and it the aim was to do nothing less than down your enemy. Kyousuke had practiced the concept of the first strike innumerable times; for months his sensei has taught him nothing else. He drew his blade and cut the man across his torso as he brought it out. While his weapon's main asset was magical energy, a blade was still a blade. Kyousuke dropped back from his first opponent as the officer fell, using his boosted agility to make the reaction times of the other guards even slower. He glanced over his left shoulder to check Connie's position; the larger man, Sera in tow, was heading to his right. He went to the left and set his sights on more guards of this so-called Calamet. With blue lightning crackling up his trusty weapon, he sent them into the nearest wall, holding the weapon with two hands now.

Seraphim was greatly fascinated by his style up close, but she had little time to admire his form. The young woman pulled a pen from her bag so she could join the fight. However in the immediate sense of things, the fight would rely on the dedicated fighters. She used their cover to plan, and after a minute looked at Connie.

"Get me some breathing room; I'll lay out a smoke screen for when we exit the station. For now I'll try to trip them up." She announced. Connie beamed widely at the chance to use his strength.

"Steel Make…Steel Fists!" He bellowed enthusiastically.

The blonde connected his knuckles, which seemed to encase them in gleaming steel. Without hesitation he clocked the nearest guard, resulting in a satisfying crunch when his blow connected. Seraphim rushed to help Kyousuke.

"Kyousuke, stay in place!" She shouted.

The swordsman saw Kyousuke rushing to her side as he defeated two more guards. In all, Seraphim had counted at least twenty now that the fight had started. A number were coming to attack Kyousuke at once. Hoping to make herself useful, she brandished her pen like a weapon and cast a spell.

"Solid Script, Gust!" She called.

The word "gust" flew ahead of her, colored a mix of blue and white. The letters separated as they hit the charging attackers, throwing them back with the same effect a hurricane would have. Kyousuke watched in awe, and then looked at Sera.

"Well done, Sera!" He beamed. Seraphim said the only one-liner she could think.

"Connie and I got your back, Kyousuke."

The pony-taled one nodded. Could he have won against them? Easily, but it felt nice to fight alongside others. Behind them, Connie was busy keeping the path clear.

"Okay, I'll give us fog to make a smooth exit." The young woman announced, pen at the ready.

"I'll take our right." The swordsman declared. His Lightning Agility was waning, but he was no less ready.

"Left is mine. Which way to our little resistance movement?" the brawl-lover inquired.

"We'll go left, second block on the right, first intersection after that." Seraphim answered. Her partners nodded in unison and followed her forward.

"Solid Script, Fog!" Sera declared with a wave of her pen.

Like her attack using gust, the word appeared first, colored in the general appearance of the element. In dispersed in a quick explosion of gray, flooding the immediate area with a haze. Before it became hard to see, Kyousuke had noticed several teams of guards in their uniforms advancing to contain them on the stairs. Kyousuke rushed forward to meet them. He found that in the thick, his opponents also had the advantage of concealment, but it didn't matter. He applied the technique of occasionally lowering himself to give them less of a target. Now that the initial shock had worn away, his opponents would try to land blows. The sabers they carried APPEARED flimsier than his katana, but they felt solid when he connected his blade with theirs.

The young man pushed his weight into counteracting the blow of his latest foe that appeared particularly driven to stop him. Kyousuke brought his sword at the guard from the man's left, at a spot where it would be awkward to effectively stop him (the man's weapon was in his right fist). Naturally he moved forward, his trusty sword in both hands. Suddenly someone seized his collar; he whirled around, stopping only when he saw Seraphim's glasses and hair.

"Sera! I nearly cut you!" He gasped in surprise.

"We have to keep going or they'll bog us down." She insisted over Connie plowing through his share.

"Very true…Sera lead the way." He nodded.

The two ran after the hulking figure of Connor Logan as he cleared the way. The man employed the ability of his magic that allowed him to make objects of steel and produced a cylindrical rod as his next folly tried to charge him. Kyousuke was in awe of the man; he was like a war machine. Slow, untouchable, wiping out all before him. These guards certainly were no real challenge, either.

"Connie's lust for fighting is…unending." The swordsman gaped.

"It's why I keep him around." Sera winked.

The fog began to thin out, but Sera realized it had been largely a vain move. The guards had closed the gap immediately, and in being forced to fight they guided the rest towards the mages with the noises. Now, however, numbers were thin. Sera deployed more fog as they made their right and suggested they pick up the pace.

"Connie, I know you're enjoying this but we have to disappear somewhat." She added.

"Breakin mah heart, Sera. Breakin mah heart." He replied, Nonetheless the mage complied.

The café they sought was placed in the corner of the intersection. Along the way, the growing chaos had forced many off the streets as soon as possible. Many wagons and shops remained in place, but unmanned. If you looked hard enough, you could see a person or two. Kyousuke could hear a single message being repeated over and over as they hurried for the rendezvous across the cobblestone road.

 _"_ _Attention citizens, attention citizens. There is an emergency situation occurring. Please seek shelter immediately and comply with all instructions given by officials."_

He looked up towards the building's higher stories, trying to find a single sign of a threat. Or maybe the source of the announcement…the young man shook his head. The scale and complexity of this fight were several levels above his past experiences. Sera looked at him with worry as he did so.

"How're you holding up, Kyousuke?" The script mage asked. He looked at her.

"I feel like I'm entering a very new world of combat." He admitted. Sera nodded in understanding.

"Think of anything that can encourage you. A loved one or something. I'm sure they'd believe in you. I think you're doing well." She suggested.

Kyousuke nodded, and imagined Saeko for a brief moment. The image, clad in her (and his) favorite summer robes, pushed some of her hair back over her shoulder and smiled.

"So brave, my darling Kyousuke~"

Kyousuke got a dreamy smile on his face.

The building had the advantage of plant-holders to cover them, and what they assumed were a few resistance fighters as they closed in. Sera pulled up her sleeve covering her guild mark to show them they were friendly. The few that'd stood up to face them backed down. Inside the tables had been hastily used to fortify the areas near the windows, with more resistance fighters waiting for the town militia to come. They carried everything from magically-powered rifles to broom handles with broken glass on one end.

"We're from Fairy Tail! Who summoned us?" Kyousuke shouted as they entered the café. He took the lead and looked around.

"I did…excellent you came, but did your entrance have to be so damned noisy?"

A woman appeared from behind her cover, the counter, to address them. She was average in height but presented a very athletic and commanding demeanor. Her weapon was a glaive. Connie's expression formed into a grin at her entrance; he leaned towards Kyousuke.

"Well, there's something else round here I'd like to liberate." He muttered to his friend. One Seraphim Shin Kick was served up in rapid succession; the swordsmen ignored the event and approached her.

"Apologies miss, we were apparently found out as we exited the train." Kyousuke apologized with a bow.

"I am Ishuu Kyousuke of Fairy Tail. These are my companions Sera Chevalie and Connie Logan. How may we help you?" He added as he straightened up. She looked at the three and scratched the backside of her blonde hair.

"Morgana…Very well, we're going forth with the assault on Calamet's residence. We need you three to reinforce us against his militia and his administrators. The later are mages paid by him so many of us can't even touch them. Defeat them and powerless little Calamet is ours for the taking. You will be rewarded as we have mentioned. His palace is down this street; several blocks." She outlined, moving towards a window to observe it.

"Tell yer bars to stock up." Connie remarked as he stretched his arms and added a spearhead to the end of his pole. She looked at him.

"Alcohol is forbidden here." She revealed. Sera glanced nervously at Connie as he stopped midstride.

"…Do what now?" He asked, face losing its color.

"Calamet has banned it; he believes it incites dissent." Morgana explained.

Connie just stood there as members of Morgana's group reported militia were approaching from both ends of the street. Kyousuke and Sera hurried out to join them. The first elements were establishing blocking positions while the rest closed in.

"Surrender now! End this insurrection!" An amplified voice yelled as the others were getting into position. Kyousuke and Sera took cover with the fighters.

"Do you have any ideas, Sera? So far we can only hope to overpower them…but I count at least forty approaching us. Quite a big force for one town and we'll need our strength for those "administrators" our employer mentioned." Kyousuke spoke up.

"We have reinforcements now, we can use them…" Sera suggested.

"Do you know anything about these guards? You seem well-versed in the different kinds of warriors."

"I'm afraid I don't…"

"Very well, then we'll simply work through them."

Kyousuke drew his sword and was about to ask Sera for some more fog or wind, when Connie came charging from the café, spitting fire and venom.

"YAH DICTATORIAL MOTHERFUCKERS; I'LL TEACH YAH TO BAN BOOZE WHEN I'M AROUND!" He bellowed, face red.

The steel-make mage vaulted ahead of his allies, holding a table in one of his fists no less, and threw it into several oncoming guards. He then cracked another square in the face with a steel-encased fist. His next victim was thrown and the one after that head-butted.

"Connie is quite attached to his libations, isn't he?" the swordsman observed, mildly disturbed.

"Yes, yes he is." Seraphim could only answer.

The two decided to join the battle. Sera sent out a two-fold attack to cover their rear for a brief time, first deploying a line of oil with her solid script, and then lighting it on fire. The flames would take a serious effort to be extinguished. Sera watched the burn while Kyousuke kept her protected. The militia resorted to its firearms as a retort; Kyousuke grabbed Seraphim and requested she maintain the fire while he tended to those shooting. Using his skills, he jumped as high as he could.

"Lightning Wave!" He called out, barely clearing the flames. The heat ran up his legs and licked against his back.

As he landed a shockwave of his lightning was sent forth at nearby enemies. Kyousuke pushed up from the landing and sprinted at an enemy raising his rifle to fire. With little time to act, the swordsman attacked the weapon instead of the man. Kyousuke dashed to the right as those unaffected fired on him, heading for a storefront. Sera stayed down and then carefully retreated to a nearby bench for better cover. She'd lost sight of her guildmate…the young woman felt herself tensing in grave concern.

"Kyousuke!" She shouted.

The pause was too long.

"Kyousuke, answer me!" She demanded, now risking her own safety.

"I'm okay! I'll find a way around! Get away from them!" He assured.

Kyousuke looked at the door to the store he'd taken refuge next to. Silently wishing the owner's forgiveness, he tried the knob. The second he found it to be locked he broke the window with the handle of his sword and fumbled around until he was able to give himself a way out. He moved quickly and kept low as he heard footfalls behind him. Kyousuke went up some stairs and onto the second level of the shop. He took a second to observe his surroundings, and saw a balcony at the end of the hall. Kyousuke began to run as fast as he could, the sounds of items for sale (dishes and cookware) being pushed aside as the militia tried to find him. After a minute one of them shouted he was upstairs.

"Lightning Agility!"

Kyousuke burst from the balcony like the very element he used and tumbled as he landed, getting to his feet quickly. Shots rang out behind him and he hurried for safety as two guards fired on him. He saw a pair of objects cut the air over him and sail towards his attackers. And examination of their source showed that Morgana had employed a type of cloning magic to make multiples of her glaive and throw them into the men firing on him. With no time to bow, Kyousuke held up a hand in thanks. She nodded and sent a second wave towards those trying to defeat the fire.

"Kyousuke, this way!" Sera ordered.

As they ran and the militia began tending to the fire even more, before it could spread, Kyousuke rejoined Seraphim and the resistance. Connie was leading the way for several up the street. Sera were busy sketching something using her tools, a sword. Kyousuke looked at the weapon, then her.

"Why are you drawing at a time like this?" He inquired.

"Reedus, a guild member, taught me how to draw one using Pict Magic. I use it sometimes to defend myself. It'll prove handy for just knocking down grunts until we meet the more skilled members of this little autocracy." She said.

He felt admiration for her newly-revealed skill. He wondered if she would tell him later what style she fought in. The two mages came up alongside Morgana; Kyousuke cleared his throat.

"We'll clear you a path, but we need all the help we can get." He said. Morgana nodded to them both.

"I have men attacking from other directions; they will distract much of Calamet's forces. We should meet the heaviest resistance, but relatively speaking it won't be much…" She explained. They looked ahead as Connie threw a militiaman into a streetlamp.

"…Especially with the brutish one behaving so violently." She added…

* * *

Calamet watched through his visual lacrimas as the streets of the city he'd worked so hard to build was falling apart. It wasn't completely gone, not yet; he still had a chance. He hadn't started this city with the intention of losing it. From the moment he'd broken ground on this valley, he knew that as he ruled longer he would have to find ways to keep his power. At first when restricting the people and handing them tokens to distract them from the desire for rule had stopped working, he switched to making them understand and not want to rule. He gave them fear of trying. Now that they were in open revolt he would give them new fear by beating them. This would be no simple punishment like dealing with a child who misbehaved; this would be like punishing a criminal. He would find the leader of the rebellion and behead them. To his advantage many were too scared to join thus far.

Calamet himself was not a warring man; he wasn't built for it. Short and stout with little physical strength, he instead relied on his diplomatic skills and inner tactician to help others and thus win. He was already playing that skill by pulling back many of his forces to his own residence to defend it. In the event they routed him, he had a plan to disappear. At the very least he would deny them one trophy. He could easily then paint them as dangerous to the Florian government by getting to outside locations before they did. With that, he would march right back in and retake his flourishing little kingdom. Status quo ante bellum would ensue; a state before this.

"Shall we meet them before they get to the grounds?" An accented voice asked.

Calamet looked towards a pair of figures across from the room, both seated and waiting. The one that'd spoken was a man in white and black colonial-era garb with well-groomed brown hair. He looked less suited for this place and more for a ball in the richest neighborhoods of Fiore's capital.

"Of course not; having them surround us simplifies our problems. We can attack them all at once and make a bigger example of the lot." Calamet replied with a wave of his hand.

"And if they cut us off? Why let the prey get closer when we can kill them now? They have those Fairy Tail mages with them, especially that uncouth one making a mess. He needs to learn manners." The younger man went on.

"They won't cut us off; I have planned around the many ways they may try to get at us. Besides we will meet and destroy them here. I don't pay you or Sheska to commentate on my tactics, Sergio, I apply you to carry them out." Calamet said, raising his voice.

The two "Administrators" exchanged glances but said nothing. The woman, Sheska, brushed aside the small bunch of silvery hair that hung near her left eye. Unlike her elegant counterpart, her garb reflected a much more militaristic look in its heavy-duty boots, tan cargo pants, and black sweater. She folded her arms in her lap.

"Pitiful rabble…" She remarked.

"…May we at least know where we are to meet them?" She added, looking at Calamet.

"Yes, in fact it's about time you head there." Calamet nodded.


	5. Chp 5: The Siege

_Chp. 5: The Siege_

 _The Town of Serenity_

Calamet's Residence Presented itself less as a residence and more as a fortress. It sat only high enough to have an advantage over other buildings. It also had a concrete wall topped by the fanciful spikes you saw on many upper-class properties. The building itself seemed titanic in size; it had to be a sizeable portion of the town's acreage. The only protrusions from the top appeared to be chimneys. There were few windows, which themselves seemed more like prison cell

Between the wall and the property, about forty feet, was flat ground. No statues, no foliage other than the green grass, just open ground that Sera concluded was so to make it easy to stop intruders. Morgana confirmed her deductions by saying that it had shown its purpose when a lone assassin, crazed and desperate to kill Calamet, had been killed trying to cross.

Mogana's group, turning out to be much bigger than the three mages had thought, dealt with the residence in a very skillful manner. No one entered the grounds, but instead they surrounded the area and isolated it from any further help by militia units outside its walls. Roadblocks were setup with whatever was available: magicmobiles, wagons, vendors' booths. The group then began to split, with each roadblock no more heavily manned than it needed to be and those remaining heading into the streets to fight the militia out there. Kyousuke and his friends found themselves at the gates of the fortress. There was no fighting right now; no one was even trying to force a breach onto the residence.

"We have him cornered, I assume. Do you intend to lay siege to his home?' Kyousuke asked as Morgana approached. She shook her head.

"Now is where you three shall she exactly how you'll earn the money we offered. Despite my power, I cannot take on Calamet's Administrators alone, but if we outnumber each two-to-one, we would have a chance." She explained.

"Can you tell us anything about our opponents? I may be able to figure them out if we can get a basic idea. It's possible they may come from wide schools of learning like Kyousuke." Sera added.

"If one of them is a Lightning Swordsman, I shall cut them down by my own hand. This act, this position of employment is a betrayal of our code." Kyousuke promised with a darkening face.

"Neither are, Kyousuke. Their names are Sergio Pisar and Sheska. I have never seen their magic in action, but I can tell that they are both capable wizards. They often guard Calamet, and you can easily tell them apart. Sergio presents himself as an elegant, well-read aristocrat while Sheska seems to look down on you and never exhibits any interest in her sense of fashion." The leader of the resistance explained.

"Oooooh, a pretty boy! I love kicking their asses!" Connie exclaimed theatrically.

"Right…either way we need to move. Calamet is most likely going to try and run soon." Morgana warned.

Seraphim nodded and drew her magic pen.

"Okay then…I'll destroy the gate, and then lay down fog to give us cover as we cross. We form into groups of twos and find the Administrators first. Morgana in the event they try to delay us from Calamet, are your comrades ready to catch him?" She outlined.

"They won't pass up any chances too." The woman nodded. Sera returned the gesture and began to write.

"Solid Script, Rust!" She declared.

Her written attack enveloped the steel of the intricate gate, changing its color to a reddish brown in seconds. Connie simply punched the weakened entrance and then let Seraphim again deploy a screen to cover them.

"I'm impressed, Sera; you're ability to employ many elements of nature through this magic is quite versatile." Kyousuke observed.

"Eheh, thank you Kyousuke. I do wish it was more powerful in combat, though." She admitted, both flattered and embarrassed. The bookworm scratched the back of her head to further show the mix of emotions.

"I thank you either way." Kyousuke nodded as he ran into the smoke. Okay maybe she didn't have to downplay her role that much if she was being praised so highly, the bookworm reasoned.

"Well thank you, I guess we couldn't get this far without my help." She admitted with a little pride, pushing up her glasses. It occurred to her soon after that the others had moved on ahead.

"Hey guys! WAIT FOR ME!" She cried, bounding along after them.

Seraphim struggled to run along, throwing her arms into the effort and pushing her glasses up every few steps. But she was by no means built to run fast. The mage could hear magicall-enhanced shots zipping all across the front yard. Instead of fear, she felt anger.

"Rrrrrrrrrrrraaah DAMN MY INABILITY TO RUN FAST! DAMMIT DAMMIT DAMMIT!" She snarled. The woman looked down as the building faded into view.

"And damn both of you for contributing to it, too."

Sera had looked down at just the right time that she failed to notice Kyousuke standing near the building's wall, back to her. He was trying to think of another way in, so that the defenders would be at least a little off balance. She crashed against him and tripped backwards before falling onto the grass. Kyousuke had heard her ravings over her figure and turned as she was a few feet from him, but he quickly got past them in the face of danger nearby.

"…Sera, are you okay?" He asked, extending a hand. She immediately felt for her glasses and found they were miraculously still on her face.

"Yes, I'm fine. Where are the others?" She asked as she was back on her feet.

"Connie asked that I go with you. He said he wished to…become more acquainted with Morgana." Kyousuke said, looking away in mild disdain at the last part.

"Even at a time like this….that guy needs a steady girlfriend. Anyways it looks like you and me'll be teaming up together, Kyousuke. Can't say Sheska or Sergio sound like any kind of warriors I've heard of. At least they don't sound anything like someone like you. Maybe when we see one…' She said as they stuck close to the wall.

"Yes, that's likely our best option. Anyways I was trying to find another entrance but it appears the walls are barren and absolutely vertical. The front door is the only way." Kyousuke explained.

He let her hand go and led her to a tall set of double doors that Connie had recently opened by force. Kyousuke drew his sword and looked around. Inside was a stark contrast to the outside. Beautiful red and white linoleum floor led to polished brown walls bearing paintings of landscapes. Two flights of stairs bordered the sides of the hall shortly after the entrance, and doors and halls branched off from the corridor, creating an ever-deepening maze to get lost in. The "second level' was two balconies with railings. Kyousuke kept going straight, eyes searching for any sign of trouble.

"We should move upstairs; his personal quarters are most likely there. Which way have Morgana and Connie gone?" Sera asked.

"They declared they would search the lower levels. Morgana suspects he has an escape route." Kyousuke replied.

The two came to an atrium that connected several major halls and again led up to the second level. More stairs went to a third. Above the hall across from where they entered was a gigantic portrait of the man they sought: Gerard Calamet. He posed with one foot firmly on a rock in the middle of a field and an assured, daring expression on his face. Though not very physically imposing, he admittedly looked handsome and wise at a middle age. The words beneath the painting read "Finding What Would Become Home". The two stared at the clean-shaven man with a thin face and wavy blonde hair.

"We now know his appearance, at least." Kyousuke admitted.

"Yes, "His Astuteness" prefers to use his looks and people skills more than his fists."

The two turned towards the voice, whose owner came down from the stairs leading to the third level. Using Morgana's information, the two guessed the man with brown hair was Sergio. He walked with a calm, almost friendly, air around him. The man stopped at the stairs connecting him and them and smiled pleasantly. Kyousuke, on account of his honor, didn't attack just yet. He felt he was facing someone who had ways like his.

"Ah, members of the much-storied Fairy Tail. Normally I find intruders to be on the same level as vermin, but you both should prove great guests. A most noble and even-handed fight indeed, yes?" He expounded.

"You're awful smug, talking away like this instead of just fighting." Seraphim pointed out.

"I'm an honorable man, milady. I don't just attack like the uncouth ruffians you two surround yourselves with." He said, waggling a finger at her as he paced across the second level.

"I know why you're both here, so it's simple. The one who wins goes on towards their objective, the loser suffers the consequences of defeat." He added.

"Then we have no other words to exchange, Sergio. Shall we?" Kyousuke asked. Seraphim was at his side, ready to fight. The swordsman took in his environment. Like the guild hall, he had plenty of room. Sergio stopped and nodded in agreement.

"Very well, let us begin. May the best man win, Sir…" He said, trailing off to allow Kyousuke an introduction.

"Ishuu Kyousuke of Fairy Tail." The Swordsman said, taking a fighting stance.

"Seraphim Chevalie of the same." Sera added. Sergio nodded and smiled.

"Sergio Pisar, of the Pisar Family of Assassins. Copy Magic, Dvanest." He remarked, before about half a dozen copies of him appeared on the second level, throwing knives in their left hands…

* * *

Connie could've never guessed the facility was so extensive and upper-crust on the inside it would include a greenhouse. How was there even sunlight reaching this place, deep in the bowels of a large gray box? He shook his head and continued to walk slowly and mindfully down the path that wound through the artificially placed woods, Morgana behind him. The side of his face still ached from the blow she'd landed on his face for his passes at her since they'd split off from Kyousuke and Seraphim. Hell hath no wraith, he knew, he knew. But this one was a special kind of driven; her only goal for now seemed to be the death of this Calamet guy. Oh well, maybe he'd find a lovely flower to impress when they were done and the town showered its gratitude on the three.

The path straightened out, and then ended at a small clearing, in the center of which was a fountain. A Herculean figure stood in the center, placed so that he seemed to be rising from spouting waters with a globe on his shoulders.

"Narcissistic pig…" Morgana sneered as they walked near it. Connie examined the face.

"What, he model his head for that stupid thing?" the Fairy Tail mage drawled. When she nodded, he used his powers to construct a steel rod.

"Wanna smash it?" Connie grinned conspiratorially.

"Your desire for aimless destruction is sometimes…useful." The local observed.

Connie took it as a compliment and turned back towards the offending fountain. With a fluid motion he swung the rod at the head of the statue, only to have another rod appear and strike him as he struck his own blow. Connie grunted out a surprised curse but held his ground, well enough. He wasn't used to soldiering through his own blows. Morgana looked around as he rubbed his left ribs and looked at the statue to see what might've caused him pain.

"I won't let pitiful rabble violate the terms of my contract like that." A female voice said from the trees. Sheska appeared, walking calmly. Her face betrayed an air of control.

"You the one that hit me?" Connie asked. She nodded.

"Who else but me? Don't think of it as I'll I do. I'm more than capable of defeating pitiful rabble from Fairy Tail, too."

Connie took a fighting stance, letting his steel go away and form over his hands again. Morgana was far more vivacious, leveling her glaive at the newfound opponent.

"Hello Sheska, you don't know me but by the end of the day that won't matter! I've come to end Calamet's reign!"

The rebellion's leader made a skillful leap at Sheska and brought her weapon from right to left, blade intended to land on the "Administrator's" neck. The silvernette skillfully ducked and landed a blow into Morgana's stomach. Morgana let out a throaty cry of pain and stumbled back. Her glaive left her hands as she fell; Sheska passed by her and went to Connie. The man tooma defensive stance and used his hardened fists to block her jabs and blows, which came fast and with knife-like intensity. After a few coughs, Morgana pulled herself to her feet and mustered her strength. She grabbed her weapon and drew in a deep breath. The woman looked for an opening, but Connie's strategy drew her attention. He was doing nothing to gain any advantage over her!

"Why aren't you attacking her? This is what you were brought here for!" She shouted. He only flicked his eyes at her.

"…I don't fight female opponents. My mum and dad would whip me into leather if I ever did. Trust me, she'd find out." He confessed.

Morgana's face contorted in fury; she ran at Sheska, who had her back to the woman. As she tried to again strike with the handle, intending to bring Sheska to her knees for a more satisfying kill, a mirror image of the weapon appeared as had been done to Connie. She stood her ground against the blow and spun the glaive, intending to strike with the sharp end. The result was the same, but Morgana was able to avoid the blow. Sheska distracted Connie with a blow while she sprinted out of the way of the thrust before gaining space and turning to face them.

"Did the first blow not give you enough of a demonstration of my Mirror Magic? Pitiful rabble…" She said.

"…So long as you both have a will to fight, I will simply deflect your attacks and keep the situation unwinnable. Try simple blows and I'll defeat you with my superior martial arts skills." The woman added.

"Enough of this talking! I'll end this now!" Morgana declared.

Morgana, deciding Connie useless, multiplied her galive as she had before to overwhelm Sheska, but to no avail. Sheska simply mirrored the attack and sent as many glowing imitations of the weapon as Morgana had thrown out. She stared at the rain of her own weapon coming down at her…and felt failure. She had been ready to die for her cause, but this was not how she'd wanted that to go. This was humiliation, her hasty mistakes leading to her demise.

"Steel Make: I-Beam!"

Before the copies could land, or even get close, Connie swatted them away with the objected he'd commanded into shape. Even then the resulting storm of magical attacks was no small event. Trees splintered and crashed, or were turned almost to dust. Shrubs became mulch, flowers nothing more than individual petals. Connie held his ground and let debris fly; he'd been hit by worse.

"How can you possibly not fight such an evil woman? Did your mother not also teach you to defend the weak? Those in need?" Morgana scolded.

"Lay off, lady! This isn't the time to be thinking about this kind of thing! Or yelling about it!" Connie shouted. Then, like specter, Sheska appeared again and drove a blow into Morgana's stomach.

"Enough of your jingoistic rants, pitiful rabble…"

Morgana made another gurgling sound in pain. Sheska turned and brought her fist up at Connie, who in a kneejerk reaction brought down a steel-encased one as he jumped back. He managed to catch her, just in time; the blow landed and she flew back at the ground. Still, Connie jumped back in anticipation of maybe a delayed reaction, but he gained himself some time and ground. Okay, he'd gotten lucky that time. The mage fell back so he could get some breathing room and thought about what he would do. Morgana was getting defeated easily for one reason or another. Like she'd said, he was here to do the job not her. There was the matter of his little moral barrier, though.

This was different, though, he reasoned as she came at him again after dodging an attack by Morgana. Connie took up his strategy of blocking again while he mulled over his options. Morgana was skilled in an actual weapon, which was being proven as ineffective. He would've guessed with her commitment to cause, she would've gone to fists already. Back to him; he couldn't block forever and he sure as heck couldn't punch. Okay maybe he could…at this rate that "maybe" became a "there's no choice".

"Okay mum and dad…forgive me but I gotta make an exception to the rule." He frowned. He felt dirty just for SAYING that.

Even then, the strawberry blonde kept blocking while he formulated a plan. He had an idea, just a hunch, but he wanted to test it first. See if it would actually work. Connie had observed how she'd been fighting, and he'd listened to what she'd said to them. The man knew his way around a street fight. In it, if you could use an opponent's strengths against them, you did it. Their weight, build, speed, or their magic power; anything. She was doing that, but not in the way he was getting at.

"How convenient for me that you stand by your notion of not punching women. Pitiful rabble." Sheska observed between blows. The attempt to mess with him might've normally riled him up had he been drunk. Connie was the opposite; his body was starving for a good drink.

He didn't have to get any space; she needed to be close for this. The only changing factor was the need for an opening, just one opening. It was only a matter of time as Sheska changed to angle of her attacks to try and find an opening on him as she wore him down. As she came from lower, looking to land and uppercut probably, he took his shot. Connie braced himself and brought a shimmering fist down. Seeing what he was going to do, Sheska applied her magic. Her other fist became encased in steel and she brought it up for the next blow. Connie used his other fist, and his strength, to counter hers. Sheska's smaller size compared to him became her Achilles' Heel, and besides stopping her "mirrored" blow with a sickening crunch, he landed his while her other fiist was recoiling to strike again.

The gamble had worked. He'd been counting on her to not be one of those people who possessed immense strength but were as tiny as, say, Master Makarov. He'd also counted on his ability to take one of his own punches, which he braved right in the chest. It had probably originally been intended for his throat, so he could be lucky her wince of pain had thrown her off. Connie didn't hesitate and with his promise temporarily broken he exploited the gap to land another blow, and then a third. He reasoned in his mind he was protecting others, as Morgana had so angrily shouted at him. He intended only to defeat her as a threat, no more. With his final blow he sent her into the fountain. The mage kept himself ready, and waited.

"Got no defense, do yah lady?" He noted when she didn't get up.

Connie himself wasn't in good shape, either. He still felt sore from the blow to his ribs, and his entire body was scratched and even cut a few times from the tornado of plants that'd happened. The blow to his chest hurt. Either way he walked to his blonde companion. She sat up and looked at him, flashing a brief smile.

"That was far too long, considering how quickly you beat her, but I'm glad that one of the two of them are defeated. That just leaves Sergio." She observed, helping herself up.

"You seem pretty okay for someone who took that much of a beating." Connie observed.

"I'm using all my strength and pride to stand up. I won't appear weak in front of Calamet." She said. The woman looked down the path they'd been travelling on.

"Now come, we can't let him escape. Let's hope your friends found Sergio; we can't fight both and still expect to best Calamet, even if he is a powerless fool." She said, starting to move once again.

"Right, just don't ever let me parents hear about what happened." Connie remarked bitterly as he followed.


	6. Chp 6: Knife Trick

_Chp. 6: Knife Trick_

 _Calamet's Residence_

Cloning Magic, an art which could turn one day's worth of food into two days' worth. A rich man into a poor one (through counterfeiting). Or a single assassin into an army. Certain veins of it led to the clones developing their own personalities. Not only could Sergio turn himself into an army, each clone of his had the same five throwing knives. As his hand(s) cast them at the two members of Fairy Tail, Sera fell back on her go-to: Solid Script Fog. That would only help after they were out of the path of the fusillade of knives. Sera started to move when she felt another person grab her protectively and carry her to safety behind a pillar. She looked up to see she was close to Kyousuke; Sera looked back down and covered her flushed face.

"Sera, are you okay?" He asked, ignorant of the situation.

"Yes, I'm fine!" She squeaked out. She'd probably never been better.

Kyousuke looked up and tried to spot their appointment. More knives impacted near them, inaccurately but the numbers were making up for it. They disappeared as soon as they landed in anything that wasn't human flesh. Kyosuke dared stand up, sword ready.

"Sera, do you have any ideas?" He asked.

"Nothing…I've never fought anyone that's this good at Cloning Magic. With the fog now I can't even tell which one of the copies would be him." She said. Quietly she cursed using the shroud; it'd become a double-edged sword.

Kyousuke, in the meantime, weighed his own skills and options in the time he had before another Phalanx of blades came at him. Kyousuke slashed at them to find they disappeared as he hit them.

"Sera, I'll take care of him for now. This open ground is advantageous to me. Observe him if you can, since that is one of your passions. Perhaps he has a weakness only an uninterrupted mind can see." Kyousuke suggested.

With a call of "Lightning Agility", Kyousuke hurried off to find Sergio and hold him down while Sera thought.

"Come forward, Sergio! Fight me directly!" He challenged.

"I apologize but that's not my way." His opponent replied politely.

This time only five knives pierced the fog, and again Kyousuke destroyed them. He sped towards the source and found Sergio, or at least one of his clones. Kyousuke ducked low and slashed upwards, only to reveal the latter had been true. He moved out of the way as two more clones came down, then two more. Kyousuke maneuvered his sword in a manner one might call wild, but to him he had total, conscious control of the weapon.

"Your speed is admirable." The clones remarked in unison.

Kyousuke kept slashing until he made himself an opening. The swordsman charged out, only to meet more clones in the mist. He went back to rapid slashing, moving with every few attacks to stay a hard target. It became clear almost instantly that Sergio was trapping him to negate his Lightning Agility. Then Kyousuke's eyes caught something: one of the copies wasn't fighting. Acting on instinct, Kyousuke slashed towards him. The "copy" turned out to be Sergio himself, who then materialized two knives and held his sword a few inches from his face.

"My speed will also be your undoing." Kyousuke belatedly retorted.

Sergio only offered a grin despite his tremble, and manifested numerous clones above and behind his opponent, all of the wielding two knives each. Kyousuke turned, allowing Sergio to strike at him. Kyousuke noted him at the very corner of his peripheral vision and brought his sword around to counter, but caught a knife blow along his left shoulder. The swordsman's attack was slow, enough for Sergio to get away with the glancing blow. The knife thrower was denied a serious shot, though. Kyousuke tried to keep bringing his sword around but Sergio disappeared into the mist again.

Kyousuke held his sword and let the wound bleed while he listened and searched for Sergio. He needed to move, and use his agility. Kyousuke started running, looking in every direction for even the slightest hint of the aristocratic killer. Errant knives hit the ground near him, but few, if any, came close. Kyousuke was satisfied that now he had the ability to move and maneuver, he could negate the man's ability. He had about half his time left, too. As would be expected, Sergio relied on his cloning ability to try and slow him again. Kyousuke snarled and slashed through the attempted blockade.

The temptation to ensure Seraphim was okay graced his mind briefly. No, to give away her position would break her concentration and allow Sergio to target her. He needed to keep Sergio occupied with him. Kyousuke again tried to find the original man again as knives came down like rain. Sergio was found on the second level, using the vantage point to get better shots. Kyousuke used his enhanced movement to make the ascent up the stairs quick. Sergio met him with another knife. Kyousuke held him a few inches from his heart. Sergio's face contorted into a smug grin as he tried to push the blade into the swordsman's body.

"Answer me this, Sergio." Kyousuke said.

"Very well, your aptitude has granted you one answer." Sergio replied indifferently.

"Why serve a man like Calamet?" He simply asked. Sergio scoffed.

"You wasted your allowance on THAT?"

Kyousuke frowned; he had never been able to fully grasp the motivations of people who served less-than-pure masters. He tried to separate his code, something not everyone followed, from it and see the other person's perspective. Seeing they were at an impasse, Kyousuke drew back and used his speed to get away. He turned around, and saw Sergio had sent a clone to intercept him. Kyousuke made quick work of the attempted trap and practically flew down the stairs. He looked towards the pillar again and hoped Seraphim had some sort of idea.

Sera's vision had been heavily restricted by the fog she'd laid down, but she was piecing together what she had nonetheless. Almost immediately she knew Sergio needed range between him and Kyousuke; his throwing knives barely held against a sword. She'd caught a glimpse of Kyousuke and him in close quarters and she knew Kyousuke had the advantage. Sergio had only his clones to break that. If Kyousuke got close with the knowledge of a way to beat Sergio or simply the speed to beat any blocks, they would win. The more she watched Sergio, the more she started to recognize he was no simple mage with some knife skills, Cloning Magic and a penchant for fancy garb. Sernorian Assassins, famous for their skill with throwing knives and poison, apt at deceit and trickery to relax their targets. Sera had never suspected a man of such a profession would know Cloning Magic, though. It didn't matter, though, something else had caught her attention.

It was immediately apparent that Sergio didn't have an unlimited supply of knives, so he had to clone from one original copy to meet his needs. But did he have it drawn? No, in the heat of battle it would make it easy to lose. At least, that was her logic. So he had his original knife somewhere on his person. How to destroy it, how to destroy it? Seraphim ran through her skills and realized something. Rust, rust would weaken the knife. She wouldn't have to hit him exactly where his knife was, just the general area. Then Kyousuke could deliver the final blow! Seraphim opened her mouth to beckon the swordsman, but stopped as she drew in breath.

She couldn't distract Kyousuke lest he lose the advantage, and she also knew their enemy might be upon her should she make her position known. It also occurred to her that he needed to know to try and find Sergio's original knife. She decided to wait for now, try and see them clearly again. Get Kyousuke's attention so he wouldn't be distracted. They remained out of sight, however. Sera clenched a fist; they could be running out of time to catch Calamet and Connie and Morgana could be in trouble. Fine, she'd have to do this fast and hope Kyousuke would pull through for her. The woman drew her pen and began to cast the spell she had in mind.

"Solid Script: Gust!" She declared.

The fog was pushed to the corners of the room, quickly revealing the clash between Kyousuke and Sergio. The two didn't ignore the sudden movement of the fog; Sera redirected Kyousuke's attention as the two other mages made a quick look around.

"Get his knife!" She called. Kyousuke looked back at Sergio.

"I understand!" He replied.

Kyousuke charged the man and managed to beat Sergio's knives, but instead found his vision filled with the blonde's cloak. Kyousuke slashed through it and went on. Sergio was nowhere to be seen; Kyousuke whipped his head around and spotted Sergio descending on Sera. It was just him, no clones, and two knives. With his last bit of enhanced speed, Kyousuke sprinted forward in the hopes of backing her up. He turned so his sword would meet Sergio's, and pulled away his other hand to pull Sera away from the man. The only place he found she could go was closer to him. So be it; there would be no letting her get stabbed. He ignored any problems he might encounter, having a girl so close to him, and held Sergio's attack.

Sera squeaked, and then felt her face getting hot as she realized Kyousuke had put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him to protect her. With her hands and face close to his torso, she realized he was He was…fit. Not muscular but his training showed. Sergio's attack was thwarted with very promising results; because he'd been in the air, Kyousuke's deflection pushed him back and had him off balance. Kyousuke moved around Sera and kocked him over while she wrote up the first of the attack.

"Behind you, Kyousuke…Solid Script, Rust!" She shouted.

As he maneuvered right, the word crossed the distance from Sera to Sergio and hit him with little apparent effect at first. Kyousuke swooped in from behind him and landed a slashing blow against the man's back, cutting away part of his overcoat, revealing the sheath for a knife. Kyousuke brought back a second blow against the case, and heard the sound of breaking metal. Sergio fell but managed to pick himself back up. He reached back to confirm what was already known and turned around, fury in his eyes.

"You have lost. Stand aside and you will be granted mercy under your status as an unarmed man." Kyousuke declared.

"Don't give me your pity, dog!" the assassin seethed. Kyousuke's face remained even, calm.

"I can't see you as the type to loyally serve this Calamet, so you would be best to surrender. Stand trial for your crimes after you surrender, and see if you might save yourself."

Sergio only stood there, trembling in fury. He then looked at Kyousuke and Seraphim who stood to the swordsman's left. The man leapt at the former, intended to strangle him. Kyousuke brought his sword up and across Sergio's chest; a disabling blow that collapsed him. Kyousuke level his sword near the man with a considerably darker face.

"Don't move, lest you want me to cut you more." He warned. Sergio gave him a look like a rabid animal's, but moved no more.

"Let's go, Sera; we have a more important man to catch." Kyousuke said, passing the man.

"Right!" Sera agreed.

Sera looked at Kyousuke and blushed; he seemed unaware of what he'd done. Well, it was to protect her, and she appreciate and understood. It was…also kind of exciting in a way. Being saved by one of the warriors she'd become so interested in. Suddenly Kyousuke stopped; Sera nearly crashed into him.

"What's the matter, Kyousuke?" she asked, tilting her head at him. The swordsman practically spun around with wide eyes and a visible blush.

"I apologize, I almost forgot to apologize for earlier! I apologize for grabbing you so suddenly! I did not intend to take advantage of the situation! It was merely to protect you!" He shouted, bowing several times apologetically.

Sera flinched back, and then smiled, letting herself blush.

"Thank you for what you did, Kyousuke. It was very brave of you. I can see you are a Lightning Swordsman who stays true to his code." She said. Kyousuke smiled, flattered.

"T-thank you, Sera." He said in a lower voice.

The two moved on quickly down the hall, which seemed to press on eternally. More corridors, like before, branched off to places the two figured was of no importance. Or was it? No, there was no time to consider that, they had to follow their first instinct. At this rate the two "Administrators" were finish. Calamet would, if he escaped, probably fall right into the clutches of the rebelling citizens. Contingencies, things they hadn't foreseen, where the only thing left now. Calamet had no power they knew of, maybe a gun or a sword but no magic. The hallway split two ways. Unsure which way to go, the two stood there, looking back and forth.

"Right!" Kyousuke decided on a whim.

"Kyousuke, wait!" Seraphim shouted, too late.

She looked back to the left, wondering if that was the best way to go. Deciding a quick look-see wouldn't hurt, she ran as far as the bend and looked down. Several statues of armor lined the path to a large set of door. That had to be it. Sera whirled around and barreled down the path Kyousuke had. He came running back, moving almost twice as fast as when he'd left.

"Correction, we go right!" Kyousuke declared before she could tell him.

"More guards?!" Seraphim asked, unsure why he was moving so fast. No answer, only him embodying his magic's element.

"Kyousuke please so down I can't run that fast!" She added, waving her arms above her head in a near-comical manner in the hopes they'd signal him to stop. Kyousuke slowed and mechanically turned his head towards the young woman.

"Not that way…I-I ran into an aquarium." He said. His face looked a little sick.

"What did you…see?" Sera gulped.

"An…an Umibozu is all I can think it might've been." Kyousuke said, referencing one of the mythical beasts of his culture.

Sera didn't want to find out if that claim was real or not, especially as Kyousuke babbled on about how the creature was supposed to be a spirit, not a physical manifestation. He toyed with his charm ran down the corridor Sera had discovered and arrived at the door. Kyousuke gently pulled one of the large handles, trying to calm himself. He took deep breaths and remembered the situation at hand.

"Locked, as to be expected." Kyousuke noted. He looked at Sera.

"Do you have enough Magic Power left to rust the lock?" He asked.

"I can try, it's possible it has more layers of protection than that…" Sera mused.

"Move it, guys!" A familiar twang bellowed from behind.

The two turned around to see Connie running down the corridor, Morgana at his side.

"Door's locked, Connie!" Sera called.

"Locked my ass! I've come too far for this namby-pamby bullshit!" The burly man roared.

"Steel Make, I-Beam!" He added, manifesting said object to use as a battering ram.

Connie kept the beam level while his compatriots hurried out of the way. Connie lowered himself against the ram and drove it into the doors. The caved in with a horrendous crash and the team of four charged in.

"Okay Calamet, show yourself, yah sadistic bastard!" Connie demanded.

Kyousuke entered, sword at the ready, and moved forward slowly, looking in all directions. The space was large enough to be a house all its own, with bookshelves, seats, and even a bar. The swordsman looked back at the center of the room, where a large marble desk sat in front of an equally regal fireplace. Two hands sprouted up from behind it.

"Please, please don't kill me before I have a chance to speak! Allow me that!" The owner of said hands begged. His voice sounded demanding.

"Reveal yourself, slowly. Keep your hands raised." Kyousuke ordered, stopping and taking a defensive stance.

The diminutive Calamet stood up as ordered.

"I know why you've come, but I should be allowed to defend myself! They have obviously told you a biased story to frame me in an exaggerated manner!" He blurted out. Kyousuke moved closer.

"Your best have been defeated, Calamet. You have no choice but to surrender to us and face trial for the crimes you're accused of." Kyousuke said, unwilling to bargain.

"How do you know I've committed crimes?" the city's ruler barked.

"You will disprove the accusations in a trial, if that's the case." Fairy Tail's newest member replied evenly.

"There is no room for him to defend himself; therefore it's pointless to have a trial." Morgana spoke up.

Kyousuke looked to his left just in time to see her sprint forward. Very quickly, the young man brought his sword outwards, deflecting the strike the blonde had aimed at the source of her anger. The weapon fell to her left, but she was so shocked by the move she hesitated to pick it up. Instead she glared daggers at Kyousuke.

"What are you doing? Your job was to help us, not protect him. I will deal with Calamet now!" the woman shouted furiously.

Only then did she fall back and reach for her weapon, but Kyosuke met her as she came back up. He held her glaive with ease, and to prove his seriousness lightning started to crack up the sword's blade.

"And execute him outright? You'll do no such thing. To attack an unarmed man is a disgrace and something that won't happen, not in my company. He will stand trial." Kyousuke repeated, a darkness settling over his face.

"Sera, care to explain what's going on?" Connie asked, lost about what Kyousuke was going on about. Sera cleared her throat.

"The code of a Lightning Swordsman states several things, Morgana. Among them is the adamant belief that no unarmed person, regardless if they're your enemy or not, should be harmed. It's a show of responsibility with one's power. Don't try to take Kyousuke on over it; he won't budge on his code."

Morgana grunted and tried to push back her newfound opponent, but it showed that she had to use some visible effort. Sera's voice remained calm and friendly, but took a more serious note as well.

"Tell me, can you feel that odd sensation? Sort of like a pressure on you? You've probably felt it since we arrived: our Magic Power. The more you feel it, the more powerful it is. Feeling yours, I can tell you have it, but it's young, undeveloped, its potential has only been tapped a little. That power you feel from Kyousuke? Me? Connie? That's the AVERAGE power of a normal Fairy Tail Wizard. You have no idea how powerful our higher-class Wizards are. I understand you wish to bring justice to Calamet, but you have to be patient." She said.

Morgana didn't respond at first, and then she relented a little.

"Fine, he'll stand trial." She conceded.

"I will leave that to the town. Now we restrain him." Kyousuke said.

"On it." Connie said, moving forward.

With some quick craftsmanship, Connie had shackles around Calamet's wrists. He was led down the long corridor Sera and Kyousuke had come. Sergio was gone, with only a few drops of blood to indicate the direction he'd started in. Outside, the fog had settled and there were freedom fighters to meet the four who'd gone in. The crowd became substantially angrier when Calamet was spotted; Morgana held up a hand.

"He'll stand trial! He'll stand trial and we'll determine how to best make him pay for his crimes!" She shouted over the collective demand of "kill him!".

The Fairy Tail trio stayed around Calamet in a defensive circle as they walked. Kyousuke looked left and right as the formations of rebelling citizens began to crowd near the man they hated. No one threw anything, especially with the looks Connie was shooting, but the swordsman remained tense. He could see the defeated town militia through the small mob.

"So what now?" Kyousuke asked over his shoulder to Sera.

"We're paid, and we let them take over the situation. If anything else needs to be done, it'll most likely fall to the Fiorian Army." She answered. Kyousuke nodded.

The march led to the train station, where Morgana asked that the three stop. The crowd calmed as she slammed down the dull end of her weapon.

"Everyone, Fairy Tail has delivered our town to a new era!" She declared. The hateful wish for death turned to a grateful cheer.

"For this we are grateful to you three, and we send all our thanks to your guild for hearing our cries. I hope what we've offered is enough to show this." She added, looking at them. Kyousuke bowed.

"I'm glad to have help, Miss Morgana." He said.

"Make booze legal again and I'll be twice as such." Connie commented, which got him an elbow from Sera.

"Good luck in rebuilding." She simply said.

The final order of business was the Jewel they'd been promised. It was brought to them in a large sack which Connie offered to carry. Their transport to the next open station would be aboard one of the intact horse-drawn wagons in the town. The journey was expected to take two hours. Kyousuke watched the defeated and captive man who'd once ruled over Serenity. Inside he felt a little bitter, despite what the man had been accused of. Where Kyousuke hailed from even prisoners under trial for murder were not at the mercy of a crowd demanding their death. Even someone like him knew the man would most likely be given an unfair trial.


	7. Chp 7: You're in the Guild Now!

_Chp. 7: You're in the Guild Now!_

"You mean to tell me the entire thing played out and most, if not all, of the damage was caused by the townspeople themselves?" Makarov inquired with a rising voice and widening eyes.

At first Kyousuke didn't know what to make of the behavior. Was the master angry that destruction of property had occurred and they'd been in the middle of it? Did that mean they could be connected to it and blamed?

"Master…I apologize for my confusion, but have we done something that is displeasing to you?" The swordsman said slowly and respectfully. The head of Fairy Tail looked at him and suddenly beamed.

"Kyousuke my boy, I couldn't be happier!" He shouted, jumping to his feet.

"The Magic Council can't pin this one on me for once, Yee-hoo! If they want an explanation they'll be going elsewhere for it!" He went on, laughing triumphantly at the ceiling as he raised both his fists.

Kyousuke looked on in confusion; why was Master Makarov celebrating this? What was there to celebrate? His companions and him had finished a job, yes, but the elder man was more overjoyed by the fact that they'd be responsible for almost no property damage? He looked at Sera.

"Sera, I'm unable to follow why The Master is so happy."

"Natsu uhm, has a habit of destroying a lot of stuff when he goes on jobs." She said with an exasperated smile. Her friend looked further confused and now slightly disturbed.

"This is related to his over-eagerness The Master mentioned?" Kyousuke asked.

"Yes, but also his fights become so ferocious and he himself is so determined, it can often end in a good few blocks of rubble. As a result, Master Makarov often has to deal with the Magic Council and the bad reputation." Sera clarified.

"Why do we allow him to stay or do this? Shouldn't he be disciplined?" Kyousuke demanded, growing unhappy.

"Oh calm down, Natsu does none of it on purpose. He just has a habit of drawing very powerful enemies." Connie sighed. Kyousuke looked at him to retort, but their leader interrupted the sparking argument.

"You three have just made my day! In fact I think this is a good excuse for us to party! The Magic Council can kiss our Fairy Tails today!" Makarov howled.

The entire hall replied with a joyous roar of approval at the concept of a party. Kyousuke looked around, bewildered, as the space descended into celebration. Celebration over this? It still confused him. He stood there while Connie nearly leapt to the bar and exchanged part of his reward for drink. He downed the first glass as fast as the time Kyousuke had met him.

"Is this really worth celebrating?" He asked.

"We don't need much of a reason to party." Sera admitted with a proud smile. There wasn't much she could hold against Fairy Tail's spirit.

From behind, Cana threw her arms around their shoulders, already running to get hammered like Connie.

"Aw come on you two, don't be a couple of sticks in the mud. Get buzzed, at least!" she laughed. Kyousuke frowned.

"I'd prefer not to." He declined politely.

"I'm uh…I don't like how I behave when I'm drunk." Sera blushed, looking at her shoes.

"Though Sera, may I buy you a cup of tea? I'm grateful for all your help and hope that we can work together again. I believe this kind of gesture is something friends do?" Kyousuke asked.

"Booooo, buy her a beer!" Cana jeered.

Friends? He considered her a friend? Sera gave Kyousuke a wide-eyed look.

"I hope I'm not being too forward but I do consider you one, Sera, You've more than proven yourself and been eager to help." He explained with a light smile, apparently reading her mind.

"N-no! You aren't! I'd love to! I mean, I mean yes, I'll take your offer!" She squeaked. The brunette's expression grew catlike at her friend's frustration.

"Have fun~" Cana sang before letting them go. Sera wanted to protest, but the Card Mage disappeared into the crowd.

"Cana's a very jovial person." Kyousuke observed before walking towards Mirajane and requesting the aforementioned beverage in the black-leaf variety. Sera hurried to join him.

"So did I answer all of your questions on the train?" Kyousuke asked as he took his cup and blew some of the steam away as it escaped from the surface. Sera nodded, trying to recompose herself.

"Thank you for that." She said, picking up her own drink. He nodded and looked out over the guild's festivities.

Sera tried to find a subject of conversation, something she wasn't the best at. She felt she'd explored a good deal of Kyousuke's life already. What was there, what was there…she had a quick revelation. It was a small subject, but something to talk about nonetheless.

"Oh, Kyousuke, the sword rack? Reedus may be able to help; his Pict magic could build something like that. Laki could also help too; she uses Wood-Make Magic." Sera spoke up.

"Oh? Thank you Sera. Hopefully if I don't have enough money I can barter with them."

"They should be fairly reasonable. I've never met anyone whom you could describe as unlikeable in the Guild as of late…except maybe Laxus or Evergreen, and well Laxus was expelled."

"Who?"

"Laxus is Master Makarov's grandson. He used lightning-based magic like you, but he was arrogant, greedy. He tried to rebel against The Master and ended up only getting beaten and humiliated."

Kyousuke's face hardened, but he showed little surprise.

"A common occurrence in my culture, I'm sure you know. The young lord tries to oust his father because he thinks he can rule better, or he simply wants the power."

"I would say it's safe to assume that was exactly how it played out. He rebelled with a few who stood with him and he was crushed despite early victories."

"He was outnumbered, then…It explains why he lost."

"He was also very powerful as a mage, Kyousuke. As were his co-conspirators. Evergreen was among them."

"Was he expelled as well?"

"She wasn't, on the grounds she was only being loyal to a friend and was kept in the dark of his true intentions. She can be rather…haughty regarding her appearance, though. It's why I find her somewhat unpleasant."

Sera pointed to the aforementioned woman when she was visible across the way. Kyousuke examined the self-proclaimed "Fairy Queen", then Sera.

"Are you two related?" He inquired innocently. Sera had to giggle at that.

"No no, Kyousuke, we aren't." She denied. He quietly agreed and drank some more tea.

"So how goes the fight, Sera?" Cana spoke up. She'd once again come from nowhere. Sera yelped and nearly sent her tea flying into Kyousuke's face.

"Cana! What now?!" the bookworm snapped.

"I've come to referee." She commented with a wave of her hand.

"Referee?" Kyousuke repeated.

"P-please ignore her, Kyousuke! She's drunk! Cana why are you doing this, we're trying to talk!" Sera interjected. Cana repeated her reasoning.

"Just pretend I'm not here; I'll only speak when needed." Cana promised.

Sera slowly turn her gaze back to Kyousuke and took another drink, visibly showing she was ignoring the "referee".

"Is there anyone else you wish to know about in the guild, Kyousuke, or anyone you'd like to meet? I'd be happy to introduce you."

"Perhaps you can introduce me to Reedus or Laki." He suggested.

"I will."

"I've also considered getting more acquainted with Erza. She and I seem to share a similar mindset. I believe we can learn a great deal from each other."

"Good idea."

"Otherwise I think you, myself and Connie should get to know one-another better. Perhaps we can make ourselves an actual team?"

Sera had to blush a little this time.

"You'd really consider me as a candidate for a teammate, Kyousuke?' She asked.

"Yes, you've been very helpful from the start and you possess extensive knowledge on several subjects. Both advantages if you ask me. Connie's melee skills and your friendship with him only further strengthen things. Granted I may have to adjust to his…personality."

Sera only stared back, considering the offer. Well…what did she have to lose? What reason was there to say no? She'd already grown friendly with Kyousuke, and he'd mentioned she was a friend. Naïve as his rushed acceptance may have been she was still flattered. And…shy? Like when a boy flirted with a girl?

"Uhm, Sera? You look unwell again."

She snapped back to reality.

"I'll definitely consider it!" She blurted out.

Consider it? CONSIDER it? Again, what did she have to lose, especially when this team would have Connie on it? Kyousuke, too; he'd already proven himself.

"I'm glad." Kyousuke smiled. Her heart skipped a beat.

"We'd just need to see if Connie's okay with it. He can be…well special." Sera giggled nervously. Cana didn't need to comment on that, and Kyousuke only nodded in agreement.

"Hey Canaaa~"

Connie joined the group, , mug in hand (which round he was on one could only guess) and looked dreamily at the mage of his affections.

"What's say we have a drink off? Loser has to give the other tongue, winner gets tongue from the other?" He grinned, cocking up a brow.

"Connor, that makes no sense!" A voice called from a nearby table. Eyes turned on Alzack Connell, a weedy young man in a poncho with shaggy black hair that covered a good part of his face. Connie wasn't impressed, enough that he missed Cana's rejection.

"Shut up Alzack yah little cunt I've had a fuckin gutful a yer shit." He growled at a rapid pace. The gun mage leaned back as Connie aggressively stared at him from the bar. He opened his mouth to retort but Connie cut him off.

"Get fucked!" the Steel Make mage hissed. Alzack's face hardened; it looked more like he was the one who'd "had a gutful".

"I'm pretty sure I do more often than you have lately!" He retorted, compensating his physical inferiority to the bigger mage by shouting. The merrymaking started to die down.

"Ohhhh, so Bisca packing something more than her rifle now, ehh?" Connie taunted. That caused a general silence; "The Gunner" fixed both warring parties with a glare as she was pulled into it.

Connie, sensing no retort from Alzack, smugly lifted his mug for another drink while the entire guild held its breath. The only sound, outside of people shifting, was a quiet chanting. It was Gitana.

"Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight…"

It didn't take very long for the silence to be broken by Natsu clambering up onto the table he'd been sitting at.

"Someone say fight?" He exclaimed. There were practically stars in his eyes as he looked around for someone who wanted to go at it.

"Natsu, sit down!" Connie barked.

"But someone wants to fight, Connie!" Natsu protested.

"Much fun as a good brawl would be, lad, I ain't dealing with you right now."

The Dragonslayer frowned and lit up his fists. Connie growled and turned his to steel as he slammed the rest of his beer and haphazardly set aside the mug. The two locked gazes as the guildhall remained quiet; even Gitana had stopped inciting fisticuffs. Connie stood up without taking his eyes away from Natsu; Alzack had been swept aside. The standoff lasted only a short time before Natsu propelled himself of the table towards his opponent. Her was stopped midair by a large hand which became a barrier between the two would be brawlers. Natsu fell to the floor, only to have the hand deliver a disciplinary chop to his stomach. Once it was certain Natsu had learned his lesson and wouldn't just get back up and fight, the voice of authority spoke.

"The both of you will settle down, and Gitana! No instigating fights like that!" Makarov scolded, retracting his hand and shrinking it back to normal size. The Transformation Mage shrunk a little in embarrassment; Makarov didn't usually yell at her.

"Now, resume the merrymaking…but no fights." The master went on. Slowly his "children" got back to celebrating their freedom from the magic council's ire.

"That was incredible, Master! Even if it was only a quick example of your power!" Kyousuke gasped.

"Thank you, Kyousuke…pardon a little pride I may be old but I like to think I've still got it." He chortled before taking a content drink from his mug.

"Yeah Master, helped me save my strength for the actual fight I have today." Connie spoke up. Kyousuke and company frowned at the man.

"As promised for my help, I want to spar with yah, Kyousuke. A good, clean, test of skills." He reminded them all. Makarov relented.

"As yes, that." He nodded.

"I want to add an addendum to that." Sera spoke up. Kyousuke and Connie looked at her.

"If Kyousuke wins, you join the team him and I have formed." She declared. Connie shrugged.

"Fair enough."…

* * *

The battleground was the valleys along the inland face of Magnolia, directly opposite the coastal side. A small crowd from the guild came along to watch the fight. Connie was known for starting his fair share of brawls; a few were wondering if Kyousuke's stand against Natsu suggested he could but Connie down. They would go at it in a field of low grass that sat between a footpath and a creek.

"Okay, this'll be simple: We fight and the first to be either knocked out or put in a position where it'd be pointless to go on wins. No cheap moves, neither; don't be a wuss." Connie said, stretching.

"Very well, I accept those terms." Kyousuke said, bowing.

As he straightened up, the swordsman took a combative stance; Connie cast steel over his fists. Makarov, acting as a something of a referee, held up a hand.

"With the rules stated, you may begin!"

The Steel Mage charged forward while Kyousuke was drawing his sword (sheath still on). Kyousuke moved to the right as quickly as he could, but he felt the wind of Connie's fist passing him. Kyousuke kept moving a bit before turning around to find Connie was coming at him again after recovering. Kyousuke brought his sword to bear and deflected the fist with a blow. To the right this time, but he needed distance, distance! Kyousuke called upon his Lightning Agility to get him that. Connie was large, so naturally he was slower; Kyousuke had figured that out in Serenity. Kyousuke also had room to move, but the flat ground meant he could only move in one plane.

Connie didn't try to pursue Kyousuke, and instead stood his ground, creating two long shields and keeping vigilant for his opponent. He could hear Kyousuke approaching but couldn't see him too well. He caught human figure at the last second and ended up hitting Kyousuke as he brought his shields to bear. Kyousuke tumbled twice before using the roll to his advantage and stopping. He then started moving again as Connie charged to deliver a deliberate attack. Kyousuke darted right, stopped, and let Connie's forward momentum and reaction time work for him. The man was a little tipsy after all, enough that it gave Kyousuke a small advantage in reaction. The larger mage seemed to have insisted that he fight like this, though; "booze made him livelier" he declared.

"Lightning Blade!" Kyousuke snarled as he brought his sword against Connie's stomach.

Connie stumbled to the left; Kyousuke didn't hesitate and moved away do he could strike the man again. His sword was caught by one of his opponent's steel encased fists, which sent one of the bolts from the weapon to Connie's skin. Connie drew his hand back, snarling a hurried curse, and lashed out with his other. His strength and their size difference meant Kyousuke nearly DID go flying back. Kyousuke kept his balance though; he'd always practiced so. Kyousuke immediately pushed back against Connie, first stopping another blow against him with his trusty blade, then delivering two follow-on blows as Connie drew back to try again. Each was against Connie's ribs; a third was aimed at upsetting his balance by hitting his legs. Connie deflected the blow as he materialized a steel pipe.

"Okay boy-o, let's play it your way." He grinned.

Kyousuke wouldn't hesitate to guess this was going to be the man's downfall. Kyousuke had spent YEARS perfecting his ability to fight with a bladed weapon. Was this man mocking him? For a second Kyousuke forgot that no one knew why he was in Fairy Tail. That no one knew about Saeko and his desire to see her again. He became angry, and struck back the first swing Connie made with a vengeance. Connie held fast and pushed back his blade, but Kyousuke used that to gain space and draw Connie close on his terms. The swordsman let the other man approach before delivering a blow aimed just a few inches above his grip on his "sword". It knocked the weapon away from Connie; Kyousuke came back and struck his shoulder. Then as the man flinched Kyousuke move around him and landed a blow against the back of his right leg.

Connie fell to his knees, snarling a little but showing little serious pain. Kyousuke stopped his sword near the man's neck from behind.

"If this blade was unsheathed right now…I could behead you. Or more likely produce a grave cut along the side of your throat." Kyousuke pointed out.

"Point Kyousuke….point." Connie admitted.

"Can you harden your neck?"

"I'm humbled to admit I cannot."

"So I believe I win, as you cannot move without me being able to put you back into the same position easily."

The two looked towards Makarov.

"Kyousuke is right, especially in the sense of a real battle. I declare him the winner." The old man declared, holding up a hand and leveling it at Kyousuke. The winner nodded and looked at his new teammate one last time.

"Don't insult my school of learning like that again, do you understand? Especially if you and I are going to cooperate." Kyousuke said harshly. Connie gave him and unfazed look.

"Lighten up, Kyousuke; you're going to find this is just me." He replied, putting up his hands in mock surrender. The Steel Mage had his bastardly charm, The Lightning Swordsman admitted silently.


	8. Chp 8: Fun and Games

_Chp. 8: Fun and Games_

 _Magnolia_

"THAT WAS INCREDIBLE, KYOUSUKE." Sera exploded gleefully after containing herself during the fight and on the way back to the guild.

Kyousuke flinched in surprise at her sudden outburst, regardless of how positive it sounded.

"Oh…uhm, thank you Sera." Kyousuke replied, making a quick bow. She quickly caught herself and also bowed apologetically.

"Forgive me, my enthusiasm got the better of me." She explained. He smiled.

"I can easily forgive you, as you are a friend."

He walked to the left as they entered the guild hall again and went straight to the job board.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have no time to waste." He added. She nearly tripped over herself.

"You're going out on another job already?!" Sera exclaimed in shock.

"Yes, no time like the present to continue working towards my goals." He nodded without looking back.

"Kyousuke, perhaps you should rest instead." Sera insisted with a nervous chuckle. He turned to face her.

"Nonsense, I feel plenty alert and full of Magic Energy! I shouldn't waste that!" He declared, a bit triumphantly for himself.

"But you might overtax yourself, am I right?"

"If I start to feel that way I assure you I'll stop immediately and bring myself back to health."

It was at this point that Connie came lumbering up, looking as unhappy as when Cana rejected him Sera noted. He fixed Kyousuke with a glare; the swordsman returned it.

"Kyousuke, take a fuckin break. Seraphim and me are gonna do so, and we're a team. Two to one, man." He said, walking off soon after.

"Just one day at least, Kyousuke. I'm sure we can agree on that." Sera nodded, glad Connie had been quick to back her.

Kyousuke considered them both. While he could easily go on a job by himself, Sera had told him earlier teams allowed him to take on higher-paying jobs. Moreover he wasn't fond of the idea of going out on jobs alone. He reluctantly nodded.

"Very well, a day or two of rest regardless of my condition should be good, anyways."

Sera's face brightened and she bowed gratefully before she hurried off to tend to her own business. Kyousuke took in a breath and walked to the bar counter.

"Mirajane, what do people usually do around here when they aren't on a job?"

"They often pursue their hobbies or train, or rest or simply talk here." She smiled.

Kyousuke sat down and thought hard for a while. He hadn't pursued hobbies in a long time; survival had overtaken leisure. He'd enjoyed listening to his culture's folk music and reading its literature…Sera was bound to know where to find both. She most likely had some of the latter. He also had to talk to this Laki woman and see about a sword rack. Maybe he would do that soon. Suddenly Connie's lumbering form was behind him again.

"Hey Kyousuke…I been thinking since you and Sera have gotten pretty cozy and we're on a team n all…" He started. Kyousuke turned to face him.

"I'm not sure what you mean about Sera and I…" He replied.

"Friendly, close, all that stuff. Anyways beside the point, why I'm talkin to yah is because I figured we should become friends." He went on behind a smile that remained undecipherable.

"…Go on." Kyousuke allowed slowly.

"Wanna see Magnolia? Explore it n shit?" Connie suggested. That seemed innocent enough, Kyousuke figured.

"That sounds helpful, thank you ConnieEEEE!"

"Great! Hey Mira, tell Sera I'm taking Kyousuke out to show him where the best parts of Magnolia are!" Connie smirked, grabbing Kyousuke and throwing the younger man over his arm. Of course that meant alcohol, scantily clad women, and other forms of debauchery.

"Connie, I may have several objections to this!" the swordsman flailed.

"Nah it'll be loads a fun! Don't be such a stiff! Hey, yah might even get a few tats like mine!" Connie laughed, pushing open the front doors. His teammate's eyes went wide.

"Now I definitely have several protests!" Kyousuke replied as they went out into the streets of Magnolia…

* * *

"Saeko, you shouldn't have to do this." Kyousuke insisted yet again. His lady noble and lover responded by gently pushing him back down onto his cot.

"Your beloved will take care of you, Kyousuke. You must keep in mind that lovers do that no matter what. Now please don't get up so quickly; you need to avoid aggravating your fever." She explained softly.

She adjusted the wet cloth so it was back on his forehead and leaned back to take a bowl of Miso Soup in her hands. Kyousuke simply laid there, blush mixed with his already warmed face.

"I'm grateful for your love, Saeko." He admitted. She smiled.

"I'm grateful for yours, Kyousuke."

"What can I not love about you, Saeko? You possess beauty, grace, and intellect that all make me feel so lucky to have been noticed by you…"

Saeko's smile became sad as he sat up to accept his meal.

"Kyousuke, you have many good traits as well, don't forget that. You're brave, kind, cultured and you're a dedicated lover. You always make my heart beat so fast when you take my hand and express how much I enamor you. It feels pure when you kiss me."

Kyousuke smiled as he slowly and carefully ate the cooling soup.

"I can think of no other way to love you, My Lady Saeko." He said. Normally she would've chided him for using her formal title, but the young woman hid her own blush at how he'd used it this time. She then placed a hand on his far cheek and rotated his head so she could bring their lips together. Kyousuke closed his eyes…

…and things went white. Kyousuke opened his eyes and the color continued to fill his vision, but he felt warm. Not feverish, just warm; like he was in the vicinity of a fire. When details returned, Kyousuke was among other members of the property's guard detail, moving from their barracks to the most important parts of the home they guarded. One of the food stores was ablaze, washing the men in oppressive heat. Kyousuke ignored it the best he could, though sweat was quick to form on his body. He was too focused on reaching a sort of assembly point where leaders within the guard were directing the defense. The man in charge, a feminine-looking individual with a wise-looking face named Kaito, motioned Kyousuke aside.

"Kyousuke, you know where you need to go." He said when the young man was a pace or two away.

Kyousuke nodded; he didn't need to be told more. The swordsman hurried to the left when the reinforcements to the night shift reached the courtyard of the inner buildings. Kyousuke looked around as lightning went up his drawn blade; he could feel like whomever had violated the property was near, or at least part of the group. Kyousuke walked onto a covered walkway slowly, looking from side to side as he kept a brisk pace. He noted movement to his left and turned to find a man emerging from a room. The intruder was armed with a whip and a Warhammer.

"Lightning Agility!" Kyousuke shouted.

The swordsman moved to the right to avoid a possible swing and then brought his sword to bear. His blow was delivered so as to kill almost instantly. He moved on without examining his foe; investigation would come when Saeko was safe and the invasion repelled. He moved down the walkway to the building she was in and found the door that lead inside had been shot; on the other side was a fellow guard, Gintoki. Kyousuke stopped to check his friend, but found the man had suffered multiple magic bullet wounds. All Kyousuke could do was close the dead man's open eyes and ask Raiden to care for the fallen warrior. He moved on, listening for other people. He heard movement and intercepted two more intruders as they exited a room, helping themselves to jugs of Sake they had plundered. Kyousuke made quick work of both men. While he moved on he saw a few corpse of servants, men and women. His expression grew angrier, but he flashed a smile as he saw his comrades entering the structure from the far end. Their weapons showed signs of battle.

"Kenji, are we repelling them?!" Kyousuke called as he hurried to the short hall that led to Saeko's chambers.

"The vermin were only able to kill those unarmed or kill in cowardly ambushes! They can't stand against us!" His friend shouted.

"Then let's bring their injustices to the blade!" Kyousuke shouted back. It gave him no ill feelings to say that; his code's punishment for this kind of barbarity was harsh.

As soon as he looked towards the door that led to his beloved's room, his morale tumbled downwards. The door had been smashed in and lay folded on the ground next to where it was supposed to be. Inside the sheets for Saeko's cot had been thrown far from the object, and signs of a struggle littered the room. Flower vases tipped over, the decorative armor she had in her room had been taken and the spear from it was broken in two, laid to be forgotten near Saeko's dresser. Kyousuke looked all around.

"Lady Saeko!" He called.

No answer…Kyousuke found that the door leading outside had been smashed open as well; he ran to it and looked around only to find no sign of her here either. Determined to protect his wife-to-be, he leapt off the short ledge at the end of the porch towards the gardens…

* * *

The jump in his dream jolted Kyousuke into reality. His breath hitched for a second before he realized where he was. The young man sat up and stroked a hand back through his hair, which had the slightest trace of perspiration in it. He looked over at Saeko's portrait again and contorted his face unhappily. With apologies to his newfound teammates, he decided he could only afford one day of rest. The swordsman couldn't even wait until morning to decide his next move. He got out of bed and quickly tied his hair into the usual wolf's tail before he hurried out into the hall. Kyousuke slowed himself and went straight into the main chamber; it was empty after last call some hours ago. Kyousuke took a candle from one of the tables and carried it over to the job board with a frown. He squinted as his eyes continued to adjust to the light and looked for a job he could take immediately. He decided one alone could be braved if he had no other options.

His eyes darted from paper to paper, almost frantically. Nothing that he reckoned he could do alone seemed to pay well enough…Maybe it was time to test himself. Kyousuke's eyes started to drift to the more difficult jobs, ones that promised a higher reward for his struggle. The young man didn't feel any fear; it was for Saeko. It'd been his duty to place her life before his before he loved her, and as far as he was concerned his job wasn't over. His concentration was broken when he heard soft footsteps.

"Kyousuke?" A voice asked from a handful of paces away.

Kyousuke looked over, moving the candle to illuminate who turned out to be Sera. She was dressed in flannel pants and a t-shirt that had seen its share of use; her normal choice for sleepwear by all accounts. She stared at her guildmate sleepily, trying to make sense of what he was doing out here. His expression looked upset and he was dressed in only his black pants. She could spot a scar arcing gently across his chest and the black lightning bolt tattoos that all members of his art carried.

"Sera…did I wake you?" He asked softly.

"N-No…but why are you out here?" She asked with a yawn. When he thought about it, it probably wasn't very appropriate to be looking at the job board at this hour. Kyousuke sighed and lowered his head.

"Sera I know you and Connie insist I rest, but the fact of the matter is I can't. My situation is too urgent right now. I joined this guild to find someone and I must acquire the resources to find them fast."

Sera frowned sympathetically.

"Kyousuke why didn't you say anything?" She asked. She didn't seem mad, but Kyousuke could tell she was disappointed. Disappointed he hadn't disclosed something that was important.

"It's a rather personal matter and with all due respect one I'm not comfortable sharing very much about." He explained, trying to keep eye contact. He felt a tad selfish for it; it was like treating the Solid Script Mage and her Steel Make companion like tools.

"Oh…"

Things lapsed into silence as Sera thought of something she could say. She hadn't been thinking the same way Kyousuke had, lucky for him. It took a minute due to the sudden seriousness of the situation and the fact that she was still groggy, but she had something soon enough.

"Listen, Kyousuke." She spoke up when she had an idea of what to say. He waited for her to go on.

"Allow us to help you, but keep in mind we have our limits. If you'll allow us one more day of rest, we'll make it up to you." Sera said in a diplomatic tone. He nodded in understanding and gave her an apologetic bow.

"I understand, Sera; please forgive me my blind haste." He replied solemnly.

"Don't feel so guilty, Kyousuke! You're searching for someone and I can tell they're important. That's not uncommon here so I know all too well how you feel."

"Thank you…"

"I'd advise you also rest and prepare yourself; get some sleep, okay?"

Kyousuke nodded and bid her goodnight, setting the candle back on the table he'd taken it from. Sera watched him go, soon to realize the entire time Kyousuke had been in nothing more than his black pants. Her sleepy mind slowly constructed the picture of his build in her mind. Naturally, his lifestyle had formed him into an athletic person, much like Natsu or Gray. Her face grew redder with that single thought…

* * *

Kyousuke had to remind himself again he was doing this for Saeko. The job was going to pay very well and this was only to ensure he wouldn't be detected. It did little to effectively curb the feelings of nakedness and restriction, though. The contradictory feelings existed because he'd been forced to give up his sword for now, and he had to wear this damned tuxedo. His weapon was gone due to the policies of the casino and the wear was to blend in with the crowd. Stealth was the key; their client told them he had good reason to believe the robbers who'd come here to steal from him had a person on the inside. Kyousuke looked around as he and Sera walked down the orange-tinted walkway among the tables and casinos.

They had very little to start with, other than the possible inside man. The casino's owner had pinned one of the heads of his vault's maintenance and well-being as the culprit. Kyousuke, Sera, and Connie would play the part of guests and wait for the man to go to the vault for his shift. If he was in fact the link they sought, they would catch him in the act. If not, then the backup plan was to simply wait until the robbery happened (which the owner was fanatically sure would happen in the next few days, probably tonight) and thwart it with brute force. The owner preferred the more discrete way, though; it meant his casino's reputation would suffer less.

"See our man yet, Sera?" the Swordsman asked.

"No, but he should be passing through here soon enough." She replied.

Sera was not-too-subtly enjoying herself, at least because she was allowed to dress fancy. This job let her wear one of the few dresses she had, a Cheongsam colored reddish orange with white flowers towards the bottom. Not wanting to skimp out on any of the details, she'd even included a fan and done her hair up in an appropriate bun. It made her feel in the same class as Lucy. Kyousuke had to admit, despite his conscious, that she looked physically stunning. Besides the dress, her figure's beauty was highlighted even more.

"Kyousuke?" She asked, noting his occasional looks. Kyousuke forced a wobbly smile.

"I…I, I must admit you look very elegant Sera! I would imagine you could easily attract a great number of men with your looks!" He said, a little loudly. She giggled.

"What I should p-probably say is you seem to possess both beauty and intellect." Kyousuke replied, lowering his head and voice. She flicked open her fan and fluttered it at an angle so that it covered part of her face from where he stood.

"Well I'm glad you think so, Monsieur Ishuu." She said, faking an accent one might associate with the elite classes of society. Kyousuke felt like he was with Saeko again for a minute.

Kyousuke refocused and looked around. The Casino, titled "Lucky Paradise", had a theme he was only vaguely familiar with. The walls and carpets were tints of orange, dark red, yellow and brown. Signs made of hundreds of small lights spelled out the various attractions, hung from a ceiling that seemed to be reaching for the upper levels of the sky itself. Each level had an opening in the center so you could see up to the top floor, and said opening only got smaller in diameter with each floor above him. Objects Kyousuke knew as chandeliers hung on golden chains, decorated with several circles of bright lights. Noise, human and mechanical, assaulted the swordsman at every turn. Laughter, discussion about subjects from every corner of life, talk related to gambling, and business. One of the waitresses, dressed in a blood-red bunny suit, offered a smile when they were a few steps away.

"May I get the couple anything to drink?" She asked with an equally chipper voice.

"We are merely friends, Miss." Kyousuke corrected innocently. _I shall meet your tests and avoid temptation every time you give them to me, Raiden…ALL of them!_

"Oh but the night is still young, sir! Perhaps a drink would change things?" The woman insisted. Sera caught on well before Kyousuke could ever hope to, though she couldn't kick some stranger in the shin like she could a certain teammate.

"Miss Sera gets a little TOO friendly when she's drunk." Connie spoke up, approaching from a nearby row of slot machines.

"I, on the other hand, will take two shots of Tequila." He added. The waitress nodded and hurried off.

"Any luck on your end, Connie?" Kyousuke asked.

"If you mean in finding our little mole and catching him in the act? No, but I've already got two ladies who like a man's physique more than they do his wealth." Connie remarked with a content look. Sera clenched her teeth behind a closed mouth.

"Dammit Connie I swear…Kyousuke you keep an eye on Dandy Hard here. I'm going to go off on my own and try and make some progress on this job. You all know my sign should we need to close in on him or his accomplices." She laid out with a frustrated sigh.

Before Connie could level a single protest Seraphim walked off, still retaining the rich girl act. Kyousuke watched her go, briefly flicking his gaze at her hips. They were very modest, especially compared to her bust, but the Cheongsam seemed to happily point out they were still a woman's hips. His nearby friend followed his gaze and contorted his lips into a smile.

"Ohhhhh, checkin out the librarian, are we?" Connie sang. Kyousuke took almost instantaneous offense.

"M-My heart is dedicated to another, already!" He stammered.

"Uh-huh, Kyousuke I figured out in about thirty seconds you are a man who likes women of the bosomy variety. ESPECIALLY after our little adventure not to long ago. You have fine taste my friend but you show it way too easily. In order to really get what you want you must hide it. The ladies will then flaunt it to yah pleasure to make you want it."

"You sicken me sometimes…"

"I love you too, sweetie."

"I wasn't expressing love."

"It's a joke, Kyousuke; lighten up. Sides, my life ain't any easier in this stupid tux. Like my fuckin school uniform all over again…"

The swordsman's expression became surprised.

"…I must confess I hate this tuxedo as well. It restricts my movements and I feel a little suffocated." He agreed. Connie nodded.

"That's why I wear my tank and shorts, man. Let's me breath, let's me move."

"I can remove my robe if I wish to better my movements but at the same time it gives me warmth, dryness in the elements, and I fancy the design."

"Wear it open to help your skin breathe?"

"Yes, and it makes it easy to toss aside should the need arise."

"Where did you get that robe, anyways? Looks comfy."

"My mother made it for me."

There was a short silence between the two as they both agreed without word they should start moving and find the employee they needed to track.

"Kyousuke, I think we just bonded over our hate for tuxedoes." Connie noted. Kyousuke did the same.

"So we did."

The swordsman glanced around and chose a direction to go in.

"While I would very much enjoy continuing to strengthen our bond, I believe we should try and help Sera by doing some searching. Which way should we go?" He asked, looking at Connie. The bigger man raised a finger up at the second level.

"High ground. This place is crowded and at least one sweep up around that balcony on the second floor will do us some good." He suggested.

Kyousuke nodded and followed Connie back through the slot machines towards an imposing flight of stairs at the far end of the space. He looked at almost every face he could see clearly. Everyone seemed so merry and happy, eagerly feeding the machines with their money. As an outsider he only barely understood it; he'd seen the other guards gamble but with much more simple tools. Cards or by using boards and stones, and they were always very stingy about what they bet. It was usually frivolous things such as sweets and drinks, or sometimes they would do it to see who would take the less desirable shifts or duties for the day or week.

Much like Calamet's residence, the second floor offered a near-perfect view of the level below it, but the activity going on beneath was almost overwhelming. Kyousuke, as Sera had requested, stayed close to Connie while they did a lap around the space. Kyousuke tried to find Sera as well; maybe she was on to something and trying to signal them. He looked forward and saw Connie had stopped. The man motioned to him; Kyousuke walked up to the rail and followed the finger Connie was pointing towards the entrance to the place.

"See those two, both have bowl cuts?" He asked, pointing at a pair of men in dark green suits.

"Yes, what about them?" Kyousuke asked.

"Neither has moved from the entrance since we got here, man. I made a few passes by and they seem to be waiting."

"I see what you're getting at, but what do you suggest?"

"Might have security ask em to move along. If they are part of our supposed heist, they might get cold feet and have a wrench thrown into things."

"Good idea, I'll go find someone. I trust you'll keep an eye on them?"

"Yeah."

Kyousuke walked back towards the stairs, occasionally throwing his gaze towards the suspicious characters every few steps. He also tried to find Sera again. They might have a lead and if they did she needed to know. As he got to the top of the stairs, the lights went out. The swordsman looked up as people started to shout in confusion. The sounds of rustling and errant things falling to the floor only added to the chaos. Before Kyousuke could do anything though, he saw a burst of light. Sera had used her solid script to launch a flare to indicate her position. He sensed rapid movement and saw Connie running towards him, discarding his tuxedo jacket as he approached.

"Go get your sword, now! I'll back up Sera!" He yelled. Kyousuke nodded and hurried for the stairs in the dying light.


	9. Chp 9: She's Set Sail

_Chp. 9: She's Set Sail_

 _Lucky Paradise Casino_

Sera wondered if she'd made the right choice in leaving the two of them alone as she walked off to investigate on her own. No, some bonding between the two of them would probably be a good idea and they weren't stupid enough to ignore the mission. She held up her fan and opened it, keeping up her act as she looked around.

"Bonjour, Mademoiselle. Might I say you look more tempting than the thought of winning a fortune here?" A voice asked.

Sera turned to face the voice's owner, and the first thing she was struck by was how…spherical his appearance felt. It was hard to put into words other than that but his head, especially with its bowl haircut, embodied the quality. Sera kept herself still.

"Oh…well yes thank you, but you see I'm already here with someone." She said, keeping in mind she was supposed to be playing a sophisticated and rich woman. The woman hid part of her face with the fan.

"Surely then he is a fool to leave such a flower unguarded." The man insisted, hinting at the obvious. _Not on your life…_

"Quite frankly I can take care of myself. A girl does need her space, too." She said.

Sera spotted their potential mole, distinguishable by the casino uniform he wore. Now came the tricky part of determining IF he had an active role in this potential heist.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I must go find him. He's supposed to meet me any second." She apologized coolly, hurrying away.

Sera politely denied a handsome waiter's offer of a drink and hurried until she saw the one known as Franc. Sera slowed down and walked several steps behind the vault maintenance manager to see if he might be doing anything of note. Franc was probably about as tall as Connie, and as bulky. He had a gait and shape almost like Frankenstein's Monster, which made Sera have to swallow a chortle considering his name. She carefully plotted to follow him until he got to an employee's only area, and then wait for him to leave it. Their client's insistence on this threat being snuffed out quietly was restricting them when it counted, she thought with a tensing look.

Too keep up her innocence, Sera continued to walk and toy around with her fan, though she dared not flirt lest she attract another Mr. Spherical. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Franc move to the right, heading towards the nearest wall of the vast room. She followed, naturally, and found that she was also being tailed by her unwanted admirer. Sera internally cursed Mr. Spherical and how he seemed to suddenly be enamored with her. The last thing she needed tonight was some kind of romance-obsessed, self-proclaimed pretty boy who thought she was his fated love. Once she could no longer tail Franc, she decided she would sic Connie on the aspiring Casanova.

Franc went through an unmarked door with a notably-sized lock on it, forcing Sera to simply remember the place and start moving back towards where she'd left her teammates. She went down the aisle over to her left to avoid running back into Mr. Spherical, still remembering to keep her façade up. Suddenly, as she reached a collection of Blackjack tables and looked around for Kyousuke and Connie, everything went dark. Sera frowned as temporary silence hushed the crowd on the floor. Thinking fast, she pulled out her magic pen and took in a deep breath, trying to prepare for what she might see when she lit up the place.

"Solid Script, Flare!" She called.

With a brilliant glow, the word sailed upwards and flickered, illuminating the floor. As she looked around for a sign of her friends, she felt the ground begin to move beneath her. Sera looked down as people started to panic; it seemed as if a pillar made of earth was rising up. Sera hurried out of the way only to have another pillar rising up where she was heading. Sera kept running and started thinking of something to employ against the unseen force. In the past the closest thing had been the traps and other defensive systems of temples and ruins, but she'd never dared to harm even those. Against earth like this Connie's brute strength would probably be the answer.

Sera ducked through people as they fled and then pressed herself against a Pachinko Ball machine to get out of the way of the crowd. In the returning darkness, for which she readied another flare, earthen walls began to rise along the row that ended directly across from the door Franc had gone in. Sera started putting things together as she let go the Solid Script spell and ran again. Franc had most likely done something to sabotage the power and the walls had to be up to protect something, possibly to make a corridor for which the robbers to use. Her biggest frustration was finding her friends right now. Suddenly she felt a gust of wind, forcing her to hold tight to her Cheongsam's skirt. She braced against the machines and looked around, spotting another man in a green suit. He was very similar to the man who'd been tirelessly hitting on her, down to the…spherical feeling.

"So what do we have here? A little strumpet who thinks she can use a little magic and stop us?" He asked, poised in a stance that suggested he'd caused the gust (and subsequently knew magic). She readied her pen in response.

"Who are you and what are your exact intentions?" She demanded.

"I'll reveal half of that to maintain a balance in the who, what and where: We, as in my associates Mr. Earth and Mr. Water and I, have been hired to steal gold from this establishment." He said. That meant he must've been "Mr. Wind" or something of the like.

Sera was about to question this little bit of reasoning when the man held up a hand to repel what turned out to be a steel javelin. She started thinking again; wind magic, he had some kind of wind magic. Nothing like the lost arts Wendy practiced but she had to find a way to stagnate it and land attacks. She looked over at Connie, who instead of dodging the attack that'd been thrown back at him, punched it down with a steel-encased fist. He started taking off his Tux to have more freedom of movement.

"Sorry Sera, kinda hard with the lights out!" He shouted as several emergency lights finally cast the place in a soft, almost eerie, glow.

"Even mankind's strongest building materials, concrete and steel, cannot best Earth and its wind. It balances out our intrusions and boastful "achievements" by knocking select ones down." The man said.

"…The fuck is yer problem?" Connie asked. The man was unoffended by the mage's rough language.

"Symmetry is all too important…the planet embodies this the most. It's a sphere, balanced and symmetrical." He mused in a voice that was…even (oh for the love of… Sera thought).

"Yeah yeah yeah yah get yer jollies off to Mother Earth, now shut up about it!" Connie said, lunging forth, fist raised.

The man was joined by the one who'd been hitting on Sera. Said man revealed he'd been using Earth Magic when he rose up a clump of ground that the wind mage turned into projectiles to send at Connie.

"Solid Script, Gust!" Sera said, countering that wind with her own to help Connie. It worked enough so that her friend could take care of the remaining pieces by dodging them or smashing them with his fists.

Kyousuke, in the meantime, was running frantically along with part of the evacuating crowd to the lobby of the casino, where his sword was being kept at the security desk. He cursed the shoes he was in again and again as they weren't meant for running. At the same time he began making is attire more comfortable for combat, throwing off his ensemble's jacket, discarding the tie and suspenders, unbuttoning the Oxford shirt, and even hobbling out of the shoes. Once he was in a more comfortable state he made his final dash for the security desk, tucked away in one of the corners of the lobby. As he ran past a large and exquisite-looking fountain that took up most of the lobby's center, the streams of water started to move like the tendrils of some monster.

Kyousuke was alerted to this by the actions of the guard manning the desk, who was going for his weapon, whatever it may have been, only to be "punched' by one of the streams, the end of which had contorted into a human fist. Kyousuke fell back and then scrambled away before hurrying over the desk, taking cover behind it. The guard had been thrown against the door that led to the storage room; Kyousuke crawled towards him and shook the man; he was unconscious. Another fist of water smashed against the desk, practically shattering it and throwing him up against the door. Kyousuke's grunt of pain was drowned out as he was now under water. The young man forced his mouth shut and tried to gather his bearings. He looked around until he saw a glint; a key ring. Kyousuke reached out for it frantically as it seemed to pull back towards the source of the attack. He clutched it and struggled to bring it against his chest.

Kyousuke lungs began to scream for air. He tried to swim out of the "fist" but his lack of such a skill reared its sneering head quickly. Kyousuke still tried, though. He tried until he found himself being pulled back until he was back over the structurally unsound desk and dropped onto the tiled floor with a surprised grunt. Kyousuke's mouth flew open as his body desperately grabbed for air. He looked around until he saw one of the men he and Connie had been observing. Kyousuke tightened his grip and found he still had the keyring.

"If you would be so kind…" The one known as "Mr. Water" said, holding out an open palm.

"I can't, I'm afraid." Kyousuke simply replied. Mr. Water tilted his head slightly, unaware of Kyousuke's real identity.

"I shall ask you only twice, good sir. This quarrel does not concern you; do not throw away your life over something that has no worth." He said, taking a step closer towards the Lightning Swordsman.

Kyousuke watched as another tendril of water formed into a fist. The presence of the substance was of concern for him. Though powerless right now without his sword, once he did get the weapon it wouldn't be wise to use his powers. In line with the way things naturally worked, electricity and water did little well together. He silently wished for the help of his comrades. For now though, he would have to adapt; "improvise" as many said. Kyousuke stood up as quickly as he could, assuming a fighting stance. He noted, with internal frustration, that the floor had become wet.

"I can't allow you to have these keys, just as I can't allow you to leave with the wealth you've come to steal." Kyousuke said. Mr. Water's eyes narrowed at him.

"I see now…" He mused aloud.

Kyousuke took the chance and bolted towards the desk again, only to be hit by an orb of water that felt more like concrete than any liquid. The attack, "Aqua Machinegun" as Mr. Water had declared it, pummeled the weekend desk and brewed up a cloud of dust. Kyousuke force himself through the pain and up against the door. He started going through the keys in the cloud of dust, waiting for another fist to drown him. There were only three keys, which meant he wouldn't be burdened with too many to try. As he found the right key, the anticipated move came. As if to insult him, it broke the door that he'd just unlocked.

More air in his lungs this time. Kyousuke looked around even as water exploded into all corners of the small space. He found his sword placed carefully on a shelf. Kyousuke swam for it as he felt the current pulling back, which amounted to him flailing his arms wildly until he was close enough to grab onto an anchor one of the shelves. He pulled himself towards the weapon as it too was pulled back and grabbed it. Taking care not to channel his powers the swordsman quickly formulated a plan, even as his lungs started to become anxious for air. The current and his need for oxygen won out and he was forced to go in with a half-readied plan. The swordsman rode the current towards Mr. Water, sword bared and poised to strike. Suddenly the current stopped, and Kyousuke was dropped to the ground. The swordsman managed to avoid falling flat on his face.

Kyousuke wasted no time and charged at his opponent, weapon poised. The man simply stood there and Kyousuke discovered why in a minute as his weapon simply passed through the man. He didn't just control water, he was made of it. Kyousuke pushed forwards to gain space.

"What kind of trickery is this?" He demanded.

"Water Magic is able to negate the effects of physical and magical attacks." The man answered. It was a vague response but Kyousuke didn't need a lecture; he could see that his sword alone would have little effect.

Without further word, Mr. Water sent an open hand reaching for Kyousuke, intent on drowning him (he'd seen the young man struggle to swim). Kyousuke moved as fast as he could, trying to reformulate his strategy, and finally came to something that he'd learned in his code. "In carrying this power and this blade, you will always be ready to endure pain for others' safety." His sensei had told him until he knew it by memory. That led Kyousuke to connect a few dots and formulate a plan. For a second part of his mind objected and wanted to think it over; that part was overruled and silenced.

"Lightning Agility!" Kyousuke shouted.

As his power's effects were carried out, he could feel a needlelike pain striking throughout his nerves. It was very low because this wasn't an attack, just enhancing his movement, but it was enough that he had to concentrate. He stopped run, changed direction, and sprinted for Mr. Water as the man, apparently confident the attack would do nothing. Kyousuke gnashed his teeth and then shouted the incantation he was gambling on.

"Lightning Blade!"

The robber's eyes widened as the element rushed up the blade and into him. Kyousuke felt the pain skyrocket, searing through his body like he was on fire. He screamed through it as his opponent, who was in effect nothing BUT water, suffered the full effects. Kyousuke pulled the blade out when he heard a thud; He opened his eyes to see that his enemy had effectively been deemed unconscious, but he was alive.

Kyousuke, satisfied his enemy was truly disabled, turned slowly and took it slow at first. His nerves no longer stung with fresh pain but he could still feel the aftereffects. His eyes noted the wall of earth and that became his guide marker, especially as he saw clouds of dust reaching upwards. Connie and "Mr. Earth" were duking it out still, with the latter's sole objective being to keep Connie from punching through his wall. Wondering what exactly what was within the newly-created structure, Kyousuke used his Lightning Agility to launch himself at it. As he went above the walls he felt a sudden, overpowering gust of wind. Kyousuke shielded his eyes and felt himself blown back.

"Kyousuke, I've got you!" Sera assured. She readied her skills and hurried to catch him as he flew back.

"Solid Script, Soft-aaah!"

As the word, similar in physical form to a pillow, appeared, Sera tripped and flopped onto it; Kyousuke was soon to follow. He groaned, more from the pain he was still feeling, and propped himself up.

"Sera, where are you?" He grunted out, hardening his expression. He looked around for his sword.

"R-Right here…" She squeaked out.

Despite the wind gust, Kyousuke was still somewhat damp, and that left a…well Sera was blushing for a good reason. It wasn't just because he was so close, either. His shirt was clinging to him, and his hair was somewhat messy. For a second his expression had been pretty fierce, all of which made for one pleased Sera Chevalier. That expression soon became as wide-eyed and red-faced as hers, though.

"Many apologies, Miss Seraphim! I did…I didn't see y-you at first!" He declared, scrambling away and bowing repeatedly.

"N-No, it's fine! It's completely fine! It's 100% fine!" She replied, just as flustered by the encounter (and the male figure that close).

Remembering that they were, in fact, in the middle of a fight Kyousuke spotted his sword and hurried to it while Sera got to her feet. They looked around for any sign of Mr. Wind; the brains of the group was also working her hardest to think how they could beat him. He'd bested their attacks with ease so far, something he seemed very well aware of. She spotted the man as he landed atop a row of slot machines opposite them.

"I will ask you twice: who are you and why do you intend to stop us?" He said, pausing a moment.

Kyousuke toughened up and tried to take that brief second to charge, but Mr. Wind simply kept him at bay despite Kyousuke's enhanced agility. It was little help that the man was in pain still from his pyrrhic strategy against his last opponent.

"This is your final chance: who are you and why are you trying to stop us?" He said, maintaining his even tone throughout.

"We've been hired to stop you by the owners. Surely you could deduce that on your own." Kyousuke replied. Despite his intentions, he did a very good job of insulting the man.

Mr. Wind's eyes flared and he brought about a particularly brutal torrent against the two. Sera reacted quickly, sprinting towards Kyousuke as he did her.

"Solid Script, Brick!" She called.

The hasty barrier held, just barely. Kyousuke and Sera watched as their opponent watched with little more than amusement.

"Is this all you can do? Brave my attacks?" He asked. The two said nothing.

"Because I have more urgent matters to tend to, I shall show you mercy. I will give you two chances to accept this offer and leave." He went on. Still they said nothing; Mr. Wind was getting impatient.

"Your final chance." He stated.

"I'm sorry but surrender is against my code, especially to thieves." Kyousuke stated. Once again a simple statement, but Mr. Wind took full offense. He quick sent Kyousuke flying back into a roulette table with a gale-force wind ("Hurricane Cannon" was what he called it).

"You dare talk down to me like my mercy is to be taken for granted?!" He roared, breaking his character for a moment. The two still couldn't respond against the loud winds, which he relented to lecture them.

"You greatyly underestimate your position, boy. I am a representative of this planet and her symmetry. Her balance. The elements of this planet will always triumph over whatever endeavors humans try to take o-"

A simple steel ball bearing, about the size of a baseball, struck him in the head with notable velocity. Mr. Wind fell forward from his proverbial pedestal atop the slot machines with a painful sound.

"For fuck's sake shut up, yah damn hippie." Connie growled, lumbering into view. He was dusty and dirty from head to toe.

"Where's the other one?" Sera asked, still in a vigilant stance.

"I put his head through an advertisement board." Connie replied as he picked up Mr. Wind and kneed him in the gut just to make sure he was down for the count.

Sera turned around as Kyousuke steadied himself and sheathed his sword. Connie held out a hand to help.

"Not gonna keel over on us, are yah man?" He asked. Kyousuke shook his head.

"I won't die so easily."

Connie nodded and looked over at the wall.

"Okay then, let's see what's behind this little thing." He said, creating a sledgehammer from his magic.

The trio walked to the wall, with Sera preparing to write "water" with her Solid Script and Kyousuke pulling out his sword. Connie was given the proper space and began pounding away at the wall with sharp grunts. Sera impacted a few spots with water to give Connie weak points to lay into. Part of the wall crumbled after a minute and Kyousuke moved forward, weapon ready. Inside they found none other than Franc dragging a pallet of gold bars.

"Alright big boy, it's over." Connie said, brandishing his tool like a weapon. The golem of a man looked at all three of them.

"Mr. Earth, Mr. Wind, and Mr. Water have all been defeated?" He asked, oddly calm for his situation. The Fairy Tail wizards nodded slowly in response.

"Then I will gladly surrender myself; I have no reason to fight you if they cannot coerce me any longer." He replied. Connie understandably, didn't buy it immediately.

"Yeah yeah I've heard it before man." He scoffed. Kyousuke looked at him.

"Either way he'll be given a chance to defend himself. This time it will be fair." Kyousuke said, referencing the (probably) now dead Calamet.

"Gonna be a tough one but hey I'm not this guy's boss." Connie replied with a shrug.

"He WILL be given a chance to prove himself." He emphasized. Franc only reacted with an understanding grimace.

In the meantime Sera, despite her calm exterior, was very fidgety on the inside. The little incident with Kyousuke had come back to her mind now that the situation had been reigned in. She'd noted it several times before but this time when she thought about it she felt a bit more hot and bothered. In her opinion, Kyousuke Ishuu was a very handsome swordsman.


	10. Chp 10: How Deep it Runs

_Chp. 10: How Deep it Runs_

 _Somewhere in Southeastern Fiore_

Nicholas Kleary watched as his boss and one of the man's servants exchanged blows with the speed and agility of lower-tier professionals. Their grunts and snarls echoed off the walls alongside the sounds of boxing gloves colliding with flesh and with each other, forming an odd sort of rhythm. In Nick's opinion, his boss looked like he was really giving it to Sterling. It was pretty embarrassing on the servant's part, considering he was almost twice the bulk of his master. In the vast emptiness of the personal gym, Nick should've been noticed immediately. His boss simply kept boxing with Sterling, however…maybe he already was aware and had simply decided to vent by wailing on the fighter. Nick simply scratched his sandy goatee and watched.

Nick, instead of speaking up (and potentially pissing off his employer) waited patiently and reminded himself he was paid to do more than play secretary to Vincent Fargoue. He was the man's prime lieutenant and one of his most trusted men when it came to carrying out acts of violence. He was certainly better at it than that cowardly snake, Gorman. Still, Nick wasn't particularly pleased that this was what the world beyond the Frontier Confederation was handing him. The money was good and legally acquired, even if the work didn't fit the same description. Nick enjoyed a comfortable life in a house on the property, too. Still, you could take the bandit and the gunslinger from the Frontier, but not the other way around. Vincent was, outside his layers of protection, as soft as a newborn too.

With a pronounced and guttural shout, the aforementioned businessman delivered a hard blow to Sterling's chest, and then finished him with and uppercut as he stumbled back. The bear of a servant fell onto the ring's floor with a thud and rested back against the ropes.

"Very…good sir. You've improved…" He said breathlessly. Vincent nodded with satisfaction and pulled off a glove before turning to Nick.

"They failed to rob the Casino." He announced. Vincent's long, angular face contorted into a frustrated grimace.

"What happened?" The man asked calmly in a sophisticated voice.

"Apparently three wizards from a legal guild stopped them. Ackelson witnessed a good half of the local Royal Army garrison swoop in on the place about half an hour after people started evacuating. The press releases showed that they were pretty loud in their execution."

Nick's face joined Vincent's in grimacing, revealing the little faith he'd placed in Mr. Wind and his cohorts had been unsurprisingly all for naught. Apparently the trio had sold Vincent a really nice product, though…a gilded one.

"Are we going to run the risk of connection in any way?" Vincent asked, ducking under the top rope and hoping down to the beige floor below.

"No, Gorman did his best as usual. Aliases, deception, binding agreements, and the inside man was coerced by the three idiots, so I can assure you we at least have time. All thanks to Gorman." Nick said, unable to keep all of the bitterness out of his voice. Vincent swept up a towel and wiped his face.

"If all else fails, I can go home. Fiore's reach is limited due to its love of neutrality." He chuckled lightly, stroking back his dark hair.

Nick would love to see the man try and survive in The Frontier. Vincent had grown up cushy here in Fiore, well away from his homeland. The place was not kind to "Kings in Suits" as many called his type. Nick was also reluctant to follow, being a wanted man in the place. He was safe here because whereas Fiore's neutrality kept its reach short, the Frontier's concern over its internal affairs did the same thing to the confederation. If this setup went downhill, he'd probably have to run north or just blend further into the scenery. For now he decided to keep himself looking like a real go-getting of a lieutenant.

"So should we try something else to wreck the man's finances?" Nick suggested. The senior man shook his head.

"It's fine, Crawford was always too scared to do anything big, anyways. This will at least scare him, and maybe make him buckle down on his current holdings and investments." He mused, waving a hand dismissively.

The whole point of this affair hadn't been the gold. Vincent had plenty of wealth and a steady flow of income if his residence was any indication. The man's interests were far more complex than that, and once again went back to their homeland. Times were changing in The Frontier, and Vincent wanted to grab a hold of the bounty those changes were ushering in. ALL of the bounties, and he didn't want anyone else to threaten his business. The problem was Vincent was a young entrepreneur who'd inherited his riches. To the others, men like Marion Crawford and Alfred J. Mumfred, there was no reason to be respected. Vincent Fargo had been given nothing more than material wealth; he could never make it truly grow. His older peers were confident their experience would out-pace him for a long time. The simple solution, then? Bar them from what The Frontier was sure to bring. On that note…

"Do we still plan to make the strike against Mumfred?" Vincent wanted to confirm as they walked down a long, narrow hallway connecting the gym to the indoor pool and then the main body of the estate.

"Yes, we still plan to do so." Nick reaffirmed; Fargoue nodded in satisfaction.

"Very well, then I don't see any reason to interfere in your work, Nick. I'll keep an ear open should we need to adapt or should anything change." He said, extending an open hand to enter his personal washroom.

"As always, sir." Nick nodded. He turned and started to leave.

"And Nick?"

The ex-outlaw stopped and looked back at his employer, who bore a hardened expression.

"We cannot let this one fail; Mumfred is not a man to back away because he's in danger. In fact it just makes him angrier."

"I intend to see to it that it doesn't happen, sir."

"Good."

Vincent slammed the door; he could never mask all of his frustration…

* * *

Meditation was something that had taken Kyousuke a number of years to truly get in tune with. In his first years of training, he had been very enthusiastic about learning to fight, and do nothing but fight. He had learned, through force patience, that meditation was what made him a smarter warrior. Brazenly slashing your sword around only went so far. He'd plodded around town until he'd ended up by the town's lake. Kyousuke took a seat and went into his own world to think upon what had happened since he'd arrived here. As far as he could see, there was sparkling blue water. It was the biggest body of water he'd ever seen, and the low volume of activity around him helped him focus.

One of the first things he dwelled on was his overall goal. Now that he had a solid enough base of operations, he could think about how to apply the money, the little money, that he had coming in. Only the fuzziest of ideas on what to do had come to him, and that was to hire someone like an investigator. Kyousuke had almost nothing to provide, though, other than descriptions of some of the attackers and the overall pattern of the attack. He was no sleuth himself and his hope largely rested on finding someone who was good at what they did.

Kyousuke opened his eyes and frowned deeply. His heart felt heavy as Saeko once again felt far away, and he had no idea where she might be. He longed to simply go back to being with her, and hopefully still have the chance to marry her. Then he'd keep her at Fairy Tail until they could find a place to be together to enjoy a happy life with one another once again. It was a simple wish, he insisted, but it seemed like it'd take an act of no one short of Raiden to see them reunited. As time marched on, the more and more effort he had to put into keeping away the thoughts that she was truly gone. It'd gotten to the point that he may have started to show it to the guild. Erza had certainly noted it the few times they sparred. She commented that, among other things, every one of his defeats to her (which was how all of the matches had ended) had at least one moment where he seemed a little distant.

"You're getting distracted, Kyousuke. By many things; what would Sensei say about this?" He muttered to himself.

Among the distractions there was Seraphim…Kyousuke's frown wasn't going anywhere and his eyes had become permanently focused on the shoreline. He'd always been awkward around women and trading a few years of his youth to train had meant forgoing normal and regular interaction with girls, but she felt a little different. If Mirajane, Cana and Lucy had been any indication, he could bring himself under control with a good dose of discipline. With Sera he still felt himself acting the way when he'd first met those other girls. She seemed to care about him so easily and genuinely, like they were siblings or lovers. The swordsman shook his head at the term "lovers". That was wholly inappropriate.

Spurred by the sudden mix of clashing emotions, Kyousuke got to his feet and started walking, trying to do something about this. Trying to sort out his feelings and maybe interpret something in regards to the how and why Sera treated him. He was in love with Saeko; he'd dedicated much of himself to finding her. She'd been all but confirmed by her father to be his wife. She possessed beauty, ladylike sophistication, and a mystifying charm that led him along. All of it was real, too; she really admired and cared about a thick-headed swordsman like him.

Sera also seemed to admire him…Kyousuke let himself point out the finer qualities of his friend for a minute after muttering an apology to his Saeko. Sera was admittedly very pretty due to her long hair and top-heavy nature, but there was more to her than that. She was full of energy and kindness…and…Kyousuke felt his face and realized he was blushing some. He growled and shook his head; he was going in circles now…

"Kyousuke!"

The swordsman looked up at the familiar voice and saw Gitana walking along a dirt path towards him, another woman holding her hand. He approached them both and bowed.

"Hello Gitana, and I do not believe we've met before." He said with separate bows.

"Yvonne Forester." The woman said, stroking the single braid her hair was in. Gitana scrutinized his body language for a moment and cleared her throat to get his attention.

"Is something bothering you, Kyousuke?" She asked. For a second she wondered if it was them holding hands.

"To a degree; I've come out to the lake to meditate but I only find myself in more turmoil."

"Okay…over…" Gitana said, letting go of Yvonne's hand to wave it in a circular motion. _Go on, Kyousuke; please elaborate…_

"Matters of the heart, the reason I'm here…things of that nature." The swordsman said, crossing his arms. He was still unsure of how to present his problems regarding Saeko.

"The reason you're here? As in why you joined the guild?"

"Yes."

"Kyousuke, it would help if you were clearer with me. I can't help you if you remain vague."

Gitana assumed a firmer but more motherly tone. Kyousuke nodded solemnly and motioned to the shore of the lake.

"Perhaps we should sit." He suggested.

Kyousuke and the two girls all sat down and Kyousuke drew in a breath. He placed his hands on his knees and closed his eyes for a minute.

"I seek to rescue someone, a lady noble I was a suitor for and whom I was…how would you say…having an affair with despite our positions."

Gitana's face lit up and she let out a tiny gasp.

"Awww that's so romantic, Kyousuke!" She squeaked. Remembering this was a serious matter (Kyousuke didn't look too happy), she cleared her throat.

"Sorry…okay, so you have to rescue her. What happened, Kyousuke?"

Kyousuke bit his lip

"I uhm…I'm not fond of sharing the details."

"Kyousuke I can help you but I need to know some things about what happened."

"I failed to protect her and she was taken."

"Kyousuke that's no reason to hide it. Fairy Tail is all about growing; growing REQUIRES mistakes, even grave ones. Ask Mira, ask Erza, ask some of our strongest members and they will only reaffirm what I've said and explain why it's true."

Her guildmate's face tensed, as if ashamed.

"Because to me it's a noble cause, but the others I worked with failed to take up arms as a result of this crime. I had my own reasons from the failure to do my job to protect the one I love, but they all just…gave up! They said it was a pointless cause."

Gitana let out an exasperated sigh.

"Kyousuke, honestly have you not spent enough time in the guild?" She asked.

"If you'd ask, most anyone in the guild would help you with this." Yvonne insisted quickly.

Kyousuke crossed his arms and looked down, feeling a wave of embarrassment go through him.

"Sera and Connie are already helping you, yes?" Gitana said. Kyousuke nodded and looked skywards to avoid their gaze.

"Yes…Sera…" He said in a distracted tone. The two exchanged looks; it didn't sound like a very normal response.

"You are getting along alright, yes?" Yvonne asked slowly. He looked back down.

"Yes, I'm grateful for her help either way." Kyousuke was quick to insist.

Gitana started to pick up on small signs and cues that suggested something was bothering him about Sera, and in a good way. She wanted to prod the subject a little after handing him some advice on the current matter.

"You should tell them; they would be able to help you…but your overall relationship is good, yes? The last job went fine?" Gitana asked, subtly shifting towards Sera.

"Well enough, yes…I had to use some desperate tactics and accidentally fell on Sera but we accomplished what needed to be done." Kyousuke replied.

"You accidentally fell on her?" Gitana repeated.

"Yes, we were hit by some of the magic one of the thieves had."

Gitana stepped her fingers and looked over Kyousuke again.

"But before that you had fun? Got to look all nice and feel all fancy?" She asked.

"I must admit my own wear was…rather uncomfortable. Connie agreed." Kyousuke said.

"Sera looked pretty good though, didn't she?"

"Her attire was very colorful and she seemed pleased with it."

"That's not what I meant, Kyousuke."

"Oh…were you referring to her performance in the fight?"

"I meant did you find her attractive that night? Desirable, even?"

Kyousuke blushed and avoided her gaze until he had an answer. Inside, part of him eagerly agreed Sera had looked desirable. Another part of him was quick to swat that increasingly lecherous element over the head. He forced himself to the most neutral answer he could think of.

"…Objectively speaking, I would say she was quite attractive in her looks."

Gitana bowed her head slightly; she figured she had enough to work with, for now. Kyousuke tensed a little.

"Why do you ask about that?" He asked hesitantly.

"Are you conflicted over Sera and Saeko?" Gitana asked gently. Kyousuke shook his head vehemently.

"N-No! Not at all! My heart belongs to Saeko and Saeko alone! It's my whole reason for finding her!" He insisted, pounding a clenched fist against his chest with each sentence. Yvonne flinched and looked at Gitana, who nodded reassuringly.

"I believe you Kyousuke, no need to get upset. If such an issue does come into existence, you can talk to me." She said diplomatically. He looked away yet again, this time out of shame. He then bowed best he could from his seated position.

"Thank you for the offer, Gitana; I'm grateful. I also apologize for my outburst." He explained. She decided to keep relenting; the poor boy had gotten enough interrogation.

"Thank you for opening up, Kyousuke; I hope you'll do the same with your teammates." She said, standing up,

"It was nice to meet you." Yvonne added quickly. Kyousuke stood up and bowed.

"I can say the same, Yvonne; a pleasure to meet you." He agreed.

Kyousuke kept his expression cheerful as they went on their way and he went on his. As he walked, Kyousuke's face slowly lapsed back into a frown. He turned back towards the water and sat down to try and meditate again. Gitana's points now entered the swirl of thoughts, backed up by remembering that Sera had also advocated he be more open. Connie had also suggested it, but in the sense that he adopt the man's ways to a degree. He couldn't help but feel it wrong, but he needed some time to decide just how open he should be. After all, he was allowed to have his personal business and that's what this was…right?


	11. Chp 11: A Little Help From my Friends

_Chp. 11: A Little Help from my Friends_

 _Fairy Tail Guild Hall_

Sera was hunched over her notebook in a corner of the guild's main chamber, writing at top speed. Her pen, a normal one, furiously crossed each line of the current page she was on. She'd stop only occasionally to scratch something out or think for a brief minute. She'd then get back to her pace without much delay. Gitana also noted she was…blushing. At first the mage was hesitant about approaching her friend, but after a minute she got over it. She took slow steps towards the girl, trying to make herself as visible as possible. Sera paid the Transformation Mage no mind as she wrote away. She even stopped once or twice to see if she'd get noticed. The blushing was the most telling part for Gitana; she was writing something that was at the very least highly amorous.

"What're you writing, Sera?" Gitana spoke up when she was almost inside personal space.

The romantic image of Seraphim Chevalie and Kyousuke Ishuu evaporated in an instant from the former's mind. Her head snapped up with eyes so wide they threatened going beyond their sockets. Almost immediately Sera snapped the notebook closed with a loud clap and stammered out a line or two of gibberish before she finally pulled the object to her chest.

"Nothing! Nothing at all! I'm not writing a single important thing!" She insisted, a little too loudly for anyone's comfort.

Gitana glanced around as several pairs of eyes turned towards them. For Sera's sake, and because she had bigger fish to fry, Gitana dropped the subject.

"Do you have a minute, Sera? It's important, especially for you." She said in a motherly tone. Sera nodded shyly and shuffled behind her friend to a table away from most of the others.

"I talked to Kyousuke today…seems the boy has feelings for you. Or at least, he's genuinely conflicted about you. Especially after your wardrobe choice at the casino." Gitana revealed softly.

Sera leaned forward in interest. Kyousuke liked her? Even if it was just the tiniest possible sliver of such a feeling, she liked him! The young woman was unable to hold back a smile as she looked down at her hands in her lap.

"He does…he does…no boy's ever looked at me that way." She said to herself.

"Sera, come down from Cloud Nine for a minute. I said only a little; he's conflicted." Gitana reminded her.

"Right…why's he conflicted?" Sera replied, now embarrassed as well as giddy.

"That's something I believe you should ask him yourself, but may I offer some advice?"

"What's that, Gitana?"

"Be patient and be strong, even if you don't get him. You'll find he has a very valid reason for his internal strife. Take it from a girl whose had several lovers; heartbreak is very possible, but temporary. Just…"

Gitana took in a deep breath as she realized she was getting herself worked up.

"Just…understand he's a human being just as much as you are, and that in the end you may not get the storybook ended you pine after so often."

Sera nodded solemnly, to which Gitana offered a sympathetic smile.

"But know that I'm rooting for you, okay?" She said. Sera smiled a little again.

"Thank you, Gitana."

"Of course, dearie…now I'd say go talk to him soon. The poor boy looks like a beaten puppy right now."

Sera followed Gitana's eyes to Kyousuke as he ate an early dinner. He did, in fact, have the look of a beaten animal. Sera knew that he needed her to console him as a friend and, for her sake, as someone who was becoming more and more attracted to him. Beyond his looks, he was honorable and loyal. A bit naïve and quick to judge at times, but those were qualities she could adjust to. Feeling a bit more confident, she put on her best smile and walked towards him. He didn't look up at her at first.

"Hi Kyousuke…I couldn't help but noticed you looked a little down." She observed in a calm, friendly tone. Kyousuke looked at her as if to say "It's that obvious, is it?". She noted he seemed very hesitant to speak.

Kyousuke felt his talk with Gitana and Yvonne coming back to the surface. He kept to himself for the first minute while Sera sat down and waited for him to say something. He did finally return her greeting and admitted he was troubled.

"May I ask why? I know I shouldn't pry but I'm your friend and teammate, Kyousuke. If you're comfortable, I can help." She pointed out.

"Yes, you do make a good point and you are allowed to be concerned." Her friend agreed.

It was his overall situation, was what it was. Kyousuke's hope had quickly been chipped away when he realized how lost he was in his search for Saeko. He'd been right about needed to find an investigator, but such a person demanded more money than he could yield. He could wait, but Kyousuke was convinced he didn't have the time to save up the money he needed. He was set on the idea that Saeko had limited time, and what if her time was almost up? The swordsman clenched a fist until his knuckles were pale. She would die and he would never know…or he would but would've squandered his time running around to all the wrong places. Should he tell Sera and Connie? Gitana had advocated that angle, but in the end it was his choice.

"I apologize if I'm not being very talkative; what is upsetting my mood is a long and complex story…well, complex to people who don't understand my culture. You do understand, so it may be easy to tell you." Kyousuke mused, straightening up a little.

"So it's something that only you and I may get." Sera assumed.

"Yes…where's Connie?"

"Sleeping after another one of his own little adventures."

"I see…would it be a bad idea to wake him up? I feel both of you should hear this."

"No, not if he's sober…Are you sure about this?"

Sera suddenly felt a little bit of apprehension about forcing it out of him instead of letting him go at his own pace. Unbeknownst to her Kyousuke had decided he needed to move faster. If that meant opening up about these things so soon, then so be it. He'd feel any remorse after Saeko was in his embrace.

"Yes, I had a talk with Gitana and Yvonne. Gitana convinced me I should share what's troubling me even if we haven't been friends for very long. We agreed to be a team and that counts for something." Kyousuke assured.

"Go get Connie, and I will meet you both in my room to explain things. Just because I'm willing to talk to you two doesn't mean I want to run about the guild broadcasting it to all." He added. Sera nodded and stood up, making especially sure to have her notebook with her.

"I will…and Kyousuke?" She said as she walked away. Kyousuke tilted his head at her. Sera turned towards him fully and bowed.

"Thank you, this means a lot that you trust Connie and I like this."

"Thank you for reaching out, Sera." Kyousuke smiled. Sera returned the expression, and then let herself blush when her back was once again turned to him…

* * *

"He have any reason for the secret keeping?" Connie asked as the two walked down the hall to Kyousuke's room.

"Pride maybe, or distrust? Until we find out what it is that's bugging him I can't guess much besides that." Sera mused aloud.

"Okay the boy is happy to admit to me he's never had sex when we go out on the town but he's not admitting some OTHER problem?"

Sera cocked a brow at her friend.

"Maybe he doesn't have a problem with talking about that. Different folks, different strokes, right?" She asked.

"Well yeah but it's just so…odd. What deeper secrets could a guy like him have?" He insisted.

"I can think of a few, especially given Kyousuke's background."

"Care to elaborate for the uninformed?"

"He and all Lightning Swordsmen operate by a code that adheres to principles such as honor, self-discipline, service to those around you and upholding the law. Failing to do any of those in some manner can be a very serious matter for someone like him."

"So why can't we just, you know, get him away from that thinking?"

"We can't just snap him out of it; it's been ingrained in him. He won't just stop because you tell him to." Sera said firmly. She drew in a frustrated breath.

"Gitana's right, we need to talk to him. Maybe…maybe we can at least make him see perspectives outside his own." She offered as they came to his door. Sera knocked three times and waited; Kyousuke was quick to answer.

"Hello, both of you. Please, come in." He nodded.

Sera noted the space was still very Spartan in appearance; the only difference was a sword rack that his weapon sat on. Kyousuke sat cross-legged near his bed and held out a hand.

"I apologize as I have no chairs, but feel free to sit where you desire." He explained. The two others exchanged looks and then simply took a seat across from him. Kyousuke paused, and then went over to the sword rack. He took a rolled-up photo from behind it and sat down across them. The two exchanged looks and slowly accepted the item before Connie rolled it open. The two were presented with the image of Saeko.

"She's very beautiful…Who is she, Kyousuke?" Sera asked.

"Izumo Saeko, eldest daughter of the Izumo Family. I was a guard at the residence her family lived at. I was also arranged to be married to her." Kyousuke confirmed.

Sera felt her heart go tumbling down for a minute. Married? Kyousuke had a fiancé?

"Sera, are you okay?" She heard Kyousuke ask. The woman flinched and then shook her head vigorously.

"Y-yes, I'm fine I'm just…surprised…I had no idea you were in this kind of situation, Kyousuke. I know you were searching for someone but…"

She trailed off. Connie took a hint and smoothly (but swiftly) moved to get her onto a subject she might calm through. He knew she really wanted to be Saeko, or in Saeko's place. _Poor girl_ he thought. He couldn't blame Kyousuke, though; the guy was both too stupid to recognize her feelings quickly and this engagement had been before he'd come here. There was something about it that was bugging him.

"Okay level with me, Kyousuke. Why keep this a secret from us? You lost your lady; I have plenty a women troubles. Cana rejects me, Mira rejects me, I go through one night stands right and le-"

Sera cleared her throat loudly; Connie stopped and the two looked at Kyousuke, whose gaze was becoming increasingly interested in the floor.

"To him, love and his duty are as sacred as his magic and his sword, Connie. To him, it's his duty to protect her and it's the greatest honor to be allowed to love her. Remember what I mentioned about his code?" She spoke up.

"She speaks the truth. More accurately, my pride as a Lightning Swordsman would not allow me to go around admitting I was unable to protect the woman I love and was bequeathed to." Kyousuke agreed.

"This was why you were conflicted, right Kyousuke?"

"…Yes. I see Gitana mentioned my conversation with Yvonne and her."

"Okay, point taken. Now, how did she go missing?" Connie nodded, jumping back into the conversation. He noted the way Kyousuke admitted he was conflicted, but stowed that elsewhere in his mind.

"Connie!" Sera snapped. Their friend held up a hand to calm the room.

"That should be revealed as well…I believe it'll help you if you wish to help me." He explained.

Kyousuke closed in his eyes and drew in a breath. This wasn't easy on him; it made him feel like a begging peasant. He was expected, both by his code and his upbringing, to pave a way in life for himself. He could accept help, but only if it was offered to him, not the other way around.

"She was kidnapped. By who? I don't know, but it was organized. There were several mercenaries and they went straight for her and other valuable items. If they were simple bandits, then they were career ones. The fact that they kidnapped Saeko and mortally wounded her mother was odd. There were no demands or ransom and her father was left unharmed." He explained.

"Maybe someone wanted her?" Sera asked, somewhat stupidly. Kyousuke tilted his head and she rescinded her question.

"Okay so you intended to find her and rebuild your prior life together…have you had any luck?"

"No, I must confess…I'd intended to find someone who was good at this kind of situation but I've found I won't get the funds I need soon enough. Time is of the essence."

That seemed to set off something in the largest of the trio.

"Well then let's take matters into our own fuckin hands!" Connie declared loudly, jumping to his feet. The other two stared at him with wide eyes.

"Let's find her ourselves, man! With the three of us and our skills we'll get yah and Saeko back! Then we'll throw the mother of all weddings!" He drawled, shaking a fist enthusiastically.

"Why are you suddenly so interested in this, Connie?" Kyousuke asked.

"Kyousuke I may be wild, but brother I know some things. And one of those things is that yah don't fuck with lovers, especially husband and wife!"

Connie was lying to a degree, but he easily masked it. He was pro Kyousuke and Sera more than anything. Again though, he respected Kyousuke; the man was a fellow human and not a doll to be controlled. He looked down at the two and curbed his vigor at the sight of frowns.

"…Okay yah know what, let's do a job! Something short n' sweet; a good ol-fashioned beat-em-up. Crack some assholes' skulls!" He said, hurrying to regain his momentum.

"How will that help?" Kyousuke asked, more receptive but still confused.

"Something to clear the air, and some money. We can vent some frustration on some more bandits or something and get money for our effort to find. Then, all loosened up, we scour the land for Miss Saeko."

There was a pause; Sera remained neutral in her demeanor. Connie knew she wasn't happy that Kyousuke was spoken for, but he wasn't going to say anything. There was a time and place for that and here met neither requirement. Slowly but surely a smile grew across Kyousuke's face. The swordsman stood up and started nodding as the smile turned into a cocksure smirk. Connie held out a hand and his friend took it so they could shake.

"Very well then. Let's, as you might say, kick some ass." Kyousuke declared…

* * *

Sera was in a very annoying kind of inner turmoil the next day. She said very little as Connie and Kyousuke searched over potential jobs on the board, wrapped up in her own thoughts. Like her Steel-Make friend she was caught between her own wants and the desire to respect Kyousuke's own personal desires. Sera knew better than anyone what was at stake for her teammate. Kyousuke, who by all means was a rather low-ranking member of his society, had been promised a very high-ranking member of his society. Lightning Swordsmen, especially now, were little more than masterless warriors all connected by a creed. Few were wealthy, highly-educated, or in any kind of desirable living situation. She felt guilty for squeezing the story out of him and hurting his pride.

She felt equally guilty about her relatively young crush on him. Since she'd been little she'd been raised on stories of dashing young warriors stealing the hearts of young maidens. She'd grown up with the romanticized dream she'd be one of those maidens. Recently she'd begun to think, in the initial rush of emotions, that Kyousuke would be the warrior who'd complete her dream. She still wanted it to be that way, too. A selfish little part of her hoped Saeko would never be found and she'd get Kyousuke. Gitana had said he was conflicted; there was a chance. In the end she might get him instead of Saeko. Connie was trying his damndest to make things feel more comfortable for the two of them; Kyousuke had no idea what was going on. She'd wanted to ask him about his feelings on her but knew that was the kind of talk Connie was working to stop.

"Sera, do you have any suggestions?"

She flinched at the sound of Kyousuke's voice and looked at him. She didn't say anything immediately; the swordsman tilted his head.

"Sera, are you feeling well?" He asked with growing concern.

"Ahhh yes, yes I'm fine…just…a lot to take in, about Saeko." She stammered. His face fell a little.

"Don't look so crestfallen. I understand what you're going through; it's…why I am too." Sera insisted. She was never a good liar, though. Kyousuke opened his mouth to speak.

"I think I may have us a job." Connie said first, determined to cut off any further awkward conversations and lying. He held up a piece of paper that offered 90,000 Jewel. It was from an organization that called itself "Roaming Oasis".

"Hello, we seek help in our long-term mission to slow and eventually erase the idea of human trafficking in The Kingdom of Fiore. We believe that the Guild of Fairy Tail shares our vision and as such have asked for a regular space on your job board. Each mission will be relatively simple: we will provide the location and description of various acts of human trafficking and you will help us thwart these operations. Our first request concerns a small caravan that will be in your part of the country, aimed at reaching the port of Hargeon to smuggle its cargo out of the country…" Kyousuke read. A grin spread across his face.

"Well Connie, I do believe this fits our desire to find a vent for our collective frustration." He observed smugly.

"I was thinking the same thing." Connie agreed, turning the sheet so he could read it once more.

"Alrighty then, let's go. We've got two days to intercept em; thing was put up yesterday. Meet back here in an hour and then we'll go." He added.

Kyousuke and Connie hurried off to get a few provisions. Reluctantly Sera went her own way. _It is for Kyousuke's sake in the end, I guess…_


	12. Chp 12: In One Fell Swoop

_Chp. 12: In One Fell Swoop_

 _Somewhere North of Hargeon_

The caravan didn't look like one that carried slaves, but the three guessed that was the point. If they ran across of Fioran troops or other law enforcement, they didn't want people in shackles visible. It consisted of two covered wagons escorted by guards with spears and magically-powered rifles. The wagons themselves were completely enclosed and impossible to see into, but they'd determined that this was the caravan. Some following had revealed they would occasionally stop and let some out to feed them and give them water. Kyousuke then went well ahead using his agility while Sera and Connie trailed. They would ambush the group in the midst of some woods well away from the port they were trying to reach.

Kyousuke sat in the warm afternoon sun with a smile, hat tilted down over his head. The stench of sake permeated from his body, at first smelling like it might be coming from his mouth. In reality it'd been very, very lighting rubbed against his neck and dabbed on his tongue. He had a carefree expression on him that grew more genuine as time wore on. The day was beautiful and nature was alive and active. It gave him a sense of calm and inner peace that his travels alone hadn't. He leaned further back against the tree and looked to his left towards the road. After a minute he saw the caravan coming up the road. _Excellent tracking, Connie_ he thought as he did his best drunkard impersonation. The caravan's lead guards slowed and eyed him warily.

Kyousuke stumbled a little and walked towards them. He had two guards to his direct front, both with spears. After that was a man next to a wagon driver with a rifle. Kyousuke gave them all a massive smile and waved a hand.

"Ah hello hello! Could you spare a man some sake?" He shouted happily, stumbling a little again. He held up his jug to add to his point.

"If not for free then perhaps we can seek a trade?" Kyousuke went on.

The men exchanged looks, and then gazed at him balefully. One of them hurried back towards the far end of the leading wagon while the others slowly approached him. Kyousuke stood his ground but his smile got a little nervous.

"If you have none then I understand perfectly! I shall let you go on-"

"The little shit's not drunk; he's faking it. He's probably as sober as a pastor on Sunday." One interrupted. Kyousuke let out a barely audible chuckle.

"Now no need to get violent!' He laughed, trying to keep his composure. They were ignoring him at this point.

"The hell's he doing smelling like booze? Some kinda bait for thieves? He's got a sword."

"Maybe, we'll find out in a second."

"Fucker might be some goody two-shoes that sniffed us out."

The charade was up, and with that Kyousuke tossed aside his hat and threw his jug at one of the men to buy at least a second to draw his sword. They collectively flinched and he went for his weapon.

"Sera, Connie!" He shouted.

That caused the men to spread out a little and (rightly) assume there were more people. The horses got restless, prompting the wagon drivers to yell at them. Kyousuke moved forward and took a slash at their reins, narrowly avoiding one as it went up on its hind legs. In the confusion that followed as the lead horses tried to flee. One of the men fired a shot into the lead two, followed by several more shots. Unbeknownst to their attackers, the creatures had been hit with magic bullets. The caravan's guards and drivers knew the horses were valuable; killing them rather than sedating them would've made things complicated. Now they could defend themselves proper. The men up front rallied as Kyousuke came running when Sera struck at them. A gust of wind pressed from the trees and further slowed the guards. Sera didn't stop as she wrote up an additional spell while behind the wagons.

"Solid Script: Hole!" She called.

The word dropped onto the ground and created a pit about ten feet in depth. The rearward guards turned towards Sera to follow the mage as she did her best to run, only to have a few struck by iron ball bearings. Connie pegged one of the guards that turned to face him before he created an iron pole to use in place of throwing things. In the meantime Kyousuke, his sword crackling with lightning, charged forwards and went for the men with guns first. He struck down one and knocked the arm out of the other's before one of the men with a spear closed in. Kyousuke turned and met the tip of the spear with his sword. The charge sent them both stumbling back. Kyousuke firmed up his stance and kept the defensive until the man got close again, this time with back up. The swordsman moved right and turned when he wasn't among all the guards again.

Connie moved forward while Sera, knife in hand, moved back into view to start opening the wagons. She saw the driver and guard coming around and turned. She went right of the hole and then back so it was between her and them. The men simply went around it, making Sera move back. When she figured she had enough space, she turned and wrote up another spell.

"Solid Script, Gust!" She barked.

With that the two men were pushed back to the edge of the hole. Sera gave them another and sent them down the pit. As she hurried back to her job, Kyousuke cut one of the spearmen's weapons in half. The man tossed aside the lower half of the handle away as he moved towards Kyousuke. The swordsman ducked under a thrust from the man and hit him on the right side. As he moved around the falling guard, one of them on the wagon raised his rifle. The bullet grazed his back, tearing at the respective part of his robe. Kyousuke tossed the clothing item aside as he went left and then jumped at the shooter. He hit him and sent the man tumbling back and off the platform. Connie leapt over the man and looked around for another opponent, but only found the lead guards were all downed thanks to Kyousuke.

"Are we all clear?" He shouted towards the back.

"All clear!" Sera assured as she worked on opening the wagon and helping people out.

The passengers, mostly women, children and middle-aged men, slowly got out and regarded their saviors with confusion and surprise. The trio kept them close and assured them everything was okay. Kyousuke stood at the back of the caravan and kept watch while Connie went to the front and Sera did a head count. After this, they were supposed to lead the now-free people to Hargeon, to the local branch of Roaming Oasis. They'd be paid and the people would be sheltered and then helped back into the world. Sera accepted several thanks with a warm smile, and then did one more head count. They'd rescued fourteen people in all, and none had fled.

"Kyousuke, Connie! I think we're ready to go!" She called.

"Good, let's hope these vermin aren't expected anytime soon." Kyousuke commented. As he walked around to their escortees and his fellow mages, one of the former stood up and stared at him.

"Kyousuke!" The young woman exclaimed, pointing a finger at him in recognition.

The swordsman stopped and stared at her. She looked weathered from her time as a slave, but he felt a familiar air surrounding her. The short dark hair and facial features and practiced expression of joy. She shuffled towards him and clasped her hands together. He still didn't know exactly who she was until she spoke.

"The young master-to-be lives! Lady Saeko will be pleased!" She exclaimed. Only a handful of people had been let in on his arrangements to be married, but moreover her mention of Saeko drowned everything else out for a second.

"It's I, Sanae! One of her handmaidens!" She explained. Kyousuke replied by grabbing her shoulders. In an instant his demeanor had changed; he'd become as serious as he was in a fight, Sera observed.

"Is she alive?" He demanded.

"Yes, she is! She's back at the place from which I last came! We'd been separated; I don't know where exactly we came from. They had us in the wagons the entire time and I don't know the land. She was still being treated when I le-"

"She's ill?" He interrupted. Sanae stopped machine-gunning information to him and nodded solemnly.

"Our conditions are far from good. There are so many of us and they work hard to keep us hidden from the world."

"Who are "they"?" Sera asked.

"A group of slavers, it appears. They seem to be gathering us for some large project someplace far, far west. That was all I could gather; we were, as you could guess, told very little." Sanae answered.

Kyousuke wasn't listening anymore; he turned back towards the fallen guards and drivers and began searching them. His two teammates and Sanae watched him as he hurried about.

"Uhh Kyousuke, care to fill me and Sera in on what you're doin?" Connie asked as he took a few steps towards the shorter man.

"A map! Directions! Any kind of information!" He hastily replied, excitement building in his voice.

He rummaged through the pockets of one of the forwardmost riflemen but found nothing. He then went to the first driver after a second of thought. Connie frowned at how frantic his friend was becoming and started towards him. He pulled out several papers and looked at each one for perhaps a second before stopping at two and staring at them. Kyousuke zoned out completely at some point as he analyzed the images, when Connie put a hand on the swordsman's shoulder. Kyousuke nearly jumped as high as the wagon. He whirled around and stared at the Steel Make mage with wide eyes.

"Slow it down Kyousuke, slow it down." He warned. Kyousuke grabbed his shoulders and shook the man a little.

"Don't you see? This is what I've prayed for, what I've worked towards! I can find Saeko, Connie!" He said.

Sera didn't say a word as this all went on. She felt anger boiling up inside her at just how obsessed Kyousuke was with finding his lover. She looked at the people they'd freed, all of whom shifted in uncertainty, and then back at Kyousuke as he searched several papers he'd found. His eyes lit up at one of them, which he promptly showed to the others. Sera, who was at her boiling point, cut him off before he could say anything.

"Kyousuke, we still have a job to do!" She scolded.

He flinched in surprise and then stared at her. Sera gulped hard and motioned towards the people around them.

"You and I both know you have a duty to these people and their wellbeing. Saeko's important, yes, but so are they. Do you really want to just drop everything and go tearing after Saeko when these people still need our help?" She asked harshly.

It was every bit loaded and guilt trip filled as it sounded but Sera saw it as the only way to get through to him. She needed to be as direct and blunt as she could. She didn't give him very long to choose the right answer, either.

"Well?" the mage stressed.

Kyousuke blushed, and then lowered his head. He felt publically humiliated, which in a way he was. He clenched a fist and nodded; even Saeko would push him to stay loyal to his code. The young man looked at his friend and tried to look a bit less embarrassed.

"Very well, you have a point. Let's finish this job." He breathed out in agreement…

* * *

Kyousuke didn't want to admit it, but he was feeling impatience brewing in him the longer they stayed at Roaming Oasis's Hargeon branch. The branch leader, a balding, middle-aged man with a bushy white beard and the aura of a teacher or doctor, was very grateful to them. He explained that they hadn't been very successful in the number of rescues here, and that having guilds in Fiore stepping up to help was overjoying to him and all of the group's members. He thanked them several times before they left; Kyousuke quickly minded his manners. He accepted the gratitude like he should and swallowed his feelings. Part of it was out of a desire to avoid further conflict with Sera and Connie. The other part was a desire not to succumb to his own selfish desires.

"Please, please if you ever wish to help us again, please don't hesitate. We are always welcome to new allies in the fight." He said, shaking the threes' hands once more.

"We may very well help again; this kind of work is what Fairy Tail strives to do." Sera replied.

"Yes, and as a Lightning Swordsman it is my job to help those who cannot help themselves." Kyousuke agreed as the man moved on to him.

He let them go after that, but Kyousuke had one final matter of business. He went into the main chamber of the building and approached the group they'd brought in.

"Sanae." He spoke up; she was in front of him quickly. To her surprise, he bowed apologetically.

"My deepest apologies for disregarding your safety and those with you. I was overwhelmed by my desire to find Lady Saeko." He explained. She considered him a minute.

"I am willing to forgive you Kyousuke, but you must promise me you will free Lady Saeko." She said in a soft voice. He stood up immediately and placed his hands on her shoulders to reassure her.

"I shall find her and I shall rescue her, Sanae." He promised. Sanae bowed her head gratefully.

"I wish you luck, Kyousuke." She said.

Kyousuke followed the others outside and down the street towards the train station at the northern end of town. Sera slowed her pace so she'd be parallel with Kyousuke and looked over towards him.

"So you found what I presume to be the map to Saeko?" She asked.

"I believe so…would you like to look at it?" Kyousuke offered, pulling out the sheets.

Sera nodded and examined both sheets. They were relatively simple, except for the wording. As she could guess with any less-than-legal business, they had codes. She stopped and walked to the side of the road.

"Lemme see if my map will help any." She commented, digging into her bag.

The two boys stood on either side of her while she sat down and set the images side-by-side. Off the bat she could at least get directions; the map had a compass like all of its kind. There were landmarks and towns and roads which she was able to decipher by matching locations of things…but no routes. No routes that marked where they needed to go. The main paths were lined in red, likely so the slavers would know to avoid them, but the dozen other roads weren't. Any one or more of those roads could lead to Saeko.

"Any luck?" Connie asked, looking over her shoulder. Sera shook her head.

"The problem is an obvious one: no way back." She said. She traced an errant path.

"They could take several of these paths to avoid authorities." She added.

"Which one did we catch them on?"

"This one, to the west of the main road."

Connie looked over at the swordsman.

"Kyousuke, anything else you can remember about these guys?" He asked. Kyousuke shook his head.

"Nothing other than what I've already mentioned, I'm afraid." He replied.

"We can't even be sure it's the same group…okay let's try this. Something my dad taught me about grave robbers is that they always rob during the day. Because at day they can see where they're going and they can avoid night, which although a shroud is usually associated with low visibility and the superstitions that surround their target." Sera spoke up.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Connie asked.

"Why would these slavers move at day rather than at night? At night they'd be harder to detect." Sera pointed out. The other two exchanged looks and nodded in understanding.

"So that means they trusted this route to get them to Hargeon without running into much trouble. It's likely one of their main routes, then." She went on Sera went silent again as she did some more heavy thinking. They had no way of knowing where the slavers were based on this map alone. They just had routes and behaviors. There wasn't even a part of the code for that they could rush back to Levy for deciphering. They would need someone to guide them or point out things on a map. She drew in a breath and clapped her hands together to get Kyousuke and Connie's attention.

"Our best bet would be to intercept another group and interrogate them. That group we ambushed today will have to be missed at some point." She concluded. Kyousuke's face turned a little pale.

"How long do you think it will take?" He asked slowly.

"Likely a few days at the most." Sera assured. Kyousuke shifted uncomfortably; Sera remained patient.

"I know time is of the essence, but it's the only way." She reiterated.

Kyousuke felt one of his fists clench, and then relax. He drew in a breath and nodded before bowing.

"Forgive my impatience, Sera." He said softly. She dug up some old words of wisdom.

"You're close, Kyousuke; maintain your bearings and keep your eyes on what lies ahead." She told him.

"So in many complex words he should keep his eyes on the prize?" Connie snickered. Sera rolled her eyes and folded up the pieces of paper.

"Yes Connie, anyways let's get back to that convoy."…

* * *

It took two days before anyone showed up to investigate what had happened to the two wagons, their guards, or their cargo. They came early in the morning, six in all, armed the same as the ones they were searching for. They even dressed the same in leather armor, boots, and varied headgear. The three Fairy Tail members had stayed hidden while the search party went over the scene. Kyousuke and his friends had left it completely untouched so as not to arouse suspicion. The only change that has happened was that the horses had been freed. The men mumbled their displeasure for that and sent two men down the road to look for the animals. The first thing the remaining four looked for were their slaves, which of course were resting safely in Hargeon, free of their forced servitude.

The entire time Kyousuke felt an itch inside him, an itch to attack now and get ever closer to Saeko's rescue. He kept it at bay, though. His sensei had beaten the impatience from him and replaced it with prudence and tolerance. Kyousuke kept those traits at the forefront of his mind; his recklessness could lead to Saeko getting further away rather than closer. He might also be able to get some extra bits of valuable information; Sera was next to him with her notepad ready.

"Who killed em, yah think?" One drawled.

"Probably bandits…maybe some wizards looking to be all goody-goody." Another observed.

"Figures…who'd you suspect? Lamia Scale? Mermaid Heel?"

"Naw, likely that bunch called Fairy Tail. They hump justice and friendship and all that harder than a dog in heat."

"Great analogy, Smithers… Either way Mr. Gorman ain't gonna be happy about this, and neither is Mr. Fargoue." A third said, changing his tone from sarcastic to sour.

Sera stored that in her brain and on her pad; the names might prove useful. With nothing else to do, the search party checked each body and then put them in the back of the wagons. The man who appeared to be giving orders was silently tagged as the one they wanted to interrogate. One man stood guard; Connie had a javelin ready for him. He gripped in firmly in one hand and then let out a loud cry.

"Tally ho, mothafuckaaaaaasssss!" He bellowed just before he launched the pointed weapon.

It struck the rifleman standing watch in the chest and sent him reeling back off the wagon's driver seat and onto the ground. At the same time fog rushed through the convoy, allowing Sera and Kyousuke to press directly for the man they sought. Sera knocked him back with a gust of wind so Kyousuke could draw his sword and keep the man from getting back up. She stood back-to-back with the swordsman and hit any guards she saw with gusts of wind. Connie made quick work of the two guys loading the bodies; as soon as they were clear Kyousuke reached out a hand and threw the map Sera had given him at the mane below him.

"Where did you come from?" Kyousuke barked. The man flinched and cocked a brow; Kyousuke brought the tip of his blade close to the man's throat.

"Tell me or I will cut your throat!" The swordsman threatened.

The man tensed and stared at Kyousuke for a long minute. His eyes flicked down towards the map a few times. They then considered the sword that was almost against his skin. After a second he carefully opened his mouth so as to not break skin.

"One condition: I be allowed to go free. None of you come hunting me for any reason. I'm just a hired gun; I don't care what happens to Fargoue's stuff. Just let me go and I'll tell you everything you wanna know." He growled. Kyousuke considered his offer for a minute, and then nodded.

"Very well…" He said slowly.

Sera tensed at Kyousuke allowing a man who was likely a criminal to go free. She watched him and wondered if she should intervene. He was starting to trample on his own code of honor just foe Saeko, but….no, there was no excuse. She wouldn't let the man go so Kyousuke could right himself fast. She motioned Connie to come over and wrote something when Kyousuke was watching the man point out where he'd come from. He accepted the piece of paper and noted it read "Don't let the guy get away". Connie looked up towards the exchange between Kyousuke and the unknown man and saw the former was repeating where they needed to go.

"Okay that's all we needed; let him go, Kyousuke." Connie said.

The swordsman let the man stand up and took the map. As soon as the hired gun was up and walking, Connie grabbed him by the back of the collar and then pushed him towards the wagon. As the man turned, Connie slugged him.

"Stay there." He ordered; Sera jumped in from there.

"Kyousuke, you know you should never let a criminal go." Sera said with an unhappy expression. When she turned to face the swordsman, she found he was gone, and so was the map.


	13. Chp 13: The Rescue

_Chp. 13: The Rescue_

 _Magnolia Train Station_

The two mages sat on the platform, waiting silently for a train north in pursuit of their friend. He'd gotten a very good head start, and in their mutual shock he'd gotten even further away. Frustration was only compounded when it was decided they would want to make a quick resupply run at the guild hall. For all they knew, he was already to the camp they'd learned about. They didn't know what they'd do when they fund him, but they both resolved to find him. Neither said much during the whole affair. Despite the fact that he should've been enraged, Connie was letting go of his anger. His foremost concern was Sera, who was sitting next to him. He watched as she clenched and unclenched her fists again. He stood up, walked back to the gift shop a dozen or so feet behind them, and returned soon after with two cream horns. Sera flinched when he practically shoved the sweet into her face.

"Eat." He commanded.

"Thank you…" Sera squeaked, embarrassed for a second. Connie sounded more like a big brother than he'd ever had.

She nibbled at the top of the horn at first, trying to mask her emotions a little more. The cream on the inside was hard to resist when she got to it, but Sera stayed at the same slow pace. The young woman was furious, plain and simple. Kyousuke had completely thrown everything aside in one breakneck, do-or-die push to save his woman. His code, his ways, his friends and achievements up until now didn't seem to matter. He was also failing to think; three mages was almost always better than one. They would need to plan and stake out this camp, and then execute a rescue. Saeko could be hurt or sick. Sera tightened her grip on the horn, so much so it cracked a little at the bottom.

Her jealousy had also reared its ugly head. Over and over since she'd learned of Saeko, she'd hoped that in the end Kyousuke would be forced to move on. Sera would be waiting to receive him with open arms. She would be given the storybook ending and be swept up by a handsome, young warrior type. In her worst moments she imagined she was far superior to Saeko. If nothing else, Sera had her bust to flaunt. Kyousuke seemed to at least be weak to busty girls; Sera just needed to confidence to use her body and flirt with him without stumbling through every sentence. Sera allowed herself a smug grin before she took another bite. A happy chime played and announced the train was five minutes out. That smug grin was quickly erased when she remembered she would likely back out before she even sauntered up to him.

Moreover, though, how much of a chance did she have with him? If Saeko was okay, and she would likely need to accept that she was, Kyousuke would no doubt return to his relationship with her. He might even leave the guild…Sera felt herself frowning and a tear or two reach the edge of her eyes. It wasn't fair! None of it was fair! How could she be teased like this and then be back to the life of a girl with almost no chance of finding love? What kind of crap was that? Now she felt like crying, even giving up and going back to the guild. Why not, she reasoned; she'd just be helping to seal her own dreams' doom. She impulsively hopped to her feet and gripped her courier bag's strap.

"Sera, sit down." Connie ordered. She flinched and stared at him indignantly.

"I'm just going to the bathroom." She lied. Connie made a show out of sniffing the air.

"That smells like some Grade-A bullshit to me." He replied, unamused.

The two glared at each other until Connie stood up and sighed, he placed his hands on her shoulders, and softened his gaze. Sera lowered her eyes and felt herself shaking. He could see through her, as could Cana and Gitana, and they all knew the truth. That she was ashamed of her feelings now and ashamed of quietly acting jealous. She hurriedly hurried wiped the bottom of an open palm against her eyes to stop the tears.

"Let it all out, Sera." Connie whispered.

She instead gulped it down, and tried to swallow it. It ended up coming back up and coming back up with a vengeance. Her friend wrapped her in a hug until he could hear her letting out quiet sobs. Each came out in a shudder as she tried to repress them. Finally she gave up.

"It's not fair, Connie! It's not fair and I hate it! I'm petty and jealous and I hate it!" She wailed into his chest.

"It's okay Sera, it's okay…" He consoled.

She got stuck on saying "It's not fair" until she burned herself out after a few minutes. By then the train that would take them north was well within view and approaching. Connie patted her head and let her go. She stared up at him through teary eyes.

"It isn't fair. I know; I've been dumped so many times I don't have room on me anymore for the tattoos of girls I get into something with. It ain't fair but this isn't the end. We WILL find you your happiness, Sera. Me, Gitana, Cana, Yvonne…we won't stop until the guy of your dreams is whispering sweet nothings into your ears. Be patient girl, we'll find em. Kyousuke or no Kyousuke." He said. She nodded reluctantly.

"It'll take some time, Connie…"

"I know Sera, but that's a given."

As the train slowed to a stop in front of the platform, Connie let her go and grabbed his duffle bag, turning towards the train with a confident stride.

"Come on, let's go get the little idiot out of trouble before his honor outruns his brain." The Steel Make Mage remarked with a sigh. Sera didn't come at first.

"Connie." She spoke up. He turned to find her holding out a closed fist.

"We're both gonna find each other the one." She assured, smiling as widely as she could. He bumped it and turned.

"Like, totally giirrlll. We're totes gonna get us some cuties." He said, doing his best impression of what they knew as "Valley Girls". Sera couldn't help but burst into loud laughter as she followed him aboard the train…

* * *

Nick was beginning to become a bad sign, Fargoue was realizing. Alfred J. Mumfred cocked a brow and then looked back as his host's lieutenant approached. The man stopped and smartly bowed his head at them both.

"Mr. Mumfred, sorry to be a bother but I need to talk with Mr. Fargoue in private." He apologized. Mumfred nodded.

"I understand; I am also a man of business." He said with a polite smile that raised the edges of his white moustache.

Nick walked to the antechamber of the parlor and closed the door behind him. Fargoue straightened and eyed his employee with an arched brow. He didn't bother to sit down, look at one of the paintings, or do anything before his look told Nick he wanted the man to get straight to the point.

"The search party was found dead, too." Nick said in a low voice. The black-haired man frowned; that meant the news was a few days old in travelling back to him.

"Any survivors?" He asked.

"None, but the second party we sent found plenty of traces of magic. Whoever did this doesn't do it for a living."

"What was the…"

"All the…workers had been taken."

Nick couldn't bring himself to use the term "slave" to describe the people. Even for an ex-outlaw, it felt too dehumanizing to him.

"Has Gorman said anything?" The lieutenant asked.

"Nothing; he's at the camp up north right now last I heard." Fargoue replied, catching what Nick was implying.

Fargoue paced a little. He was becoming weary of the idea of someone deliberately seeking to destroy his plans. He looked towards the door, past which Mumfred sat. Was it the old bastard who was trying to slow him? Maybe he was wasting time, trying to buy part of Mumfred's land back in the Frontier. Maybe Mumfred was trying to bleed him by taking Fargoue's money and then secretly sabotaging him. Maybe it was Gorman, the little weasel…no, there was no way Gorman could amass the resources without creating some kind of suspicion. Fargoue admitted he was too paranoid to allow it to happen. No, it had to be someone who had the money and the general freedom to move. He squinted at the door to the parlor and stepped forwards until he was right next to Nick.

"…Our plan for Mumfred?" He whispered after a pregnant pause.

"Still feasible." Nick replied in the same tone.

Fargoue considered his options. He had eventually decided not to kill Mumfred, but rather to take over his ambitions and keep him alive to recognize the younger man's upward trend. But now if Mumfred was actively trying to prevent that to ensure his own ambitions remained intact, Fargoue saw he'd likely have to take bigger steps. Fargoue felt his anger flare; the two-timing, snake oil, geriatric son of a bitch!

"Then do it." Fargoue said. Nick nodded.

The two quickly retreated from the room and Nick gave another apology to the older Mumfred before Nick sat down and took a pull of his coffee. He felt the caffeine dull his anger. Mumfred titled his head.

"Something bothering you, Fargoue?" He asked. The other man shook his head.

"Not very fond of important meetings being interrupted. I apologize about that, Mr. Mumfred…now, where were we?" He asked with a polite smile…

* * *

The young man known as Rudy Pierce had joined Fargoue's outfit out of a desire to gain the money to make a better life for himself. He was no good at magic, so he couldn't join a guild. When he was honest with himself, he really wasn't good at anything that didn't involve playing soldier. He'd first tried to be in the Fioran Army, but found the stringent lifestyle to be trying. Too trying, in fact…so he'd ended up here. The pay was far more than he could've imagined and the benefits were nice. All he had to do in return was watch the gate to this place and not talk a word about what went on here. It'd been hard at first but he'd soon been swayed more by the money.

The young man marched back and for the carefully in front of the gate, rifle slung over his shoulder. He looked up at the sky and saw the sun was slowly getting higher and higher in the air. He shift here was due to be over soon, after which he'd go eat, have a few hours of downtime, and then go to his next shift patrolling the grounds inside the fence. As he turned to go back across the access road, he noted something in the distance. A flash, a small blur that was barely visible. In fact, he wondered if he'd actually seen anything. Rudy stopped and squinted his eyes at the road. He saw a few leaves rustle, then a few more. By the time he'd recognized a zig-zag, pattern, Kyousuke was right before him and in the process of running the man through with his weapon, aiming for his unarmored waist. Rudy slumped, expression and mind in total shock.

Kyousuke drew his sword back and then climbed up the gate as fast as his Lightning Agility would allow. The wood splintered near him, and Kyousuke looked up to see another, older guard aiming his own rifle at the man. As the adversary demanded he stop and drop the sword, Kyousuke leapt down upon him and ensured the man never fired a second shot. From there he darted towards a large building. It was a stable, filled with horses and wagons. Kyousuke's target was the slaves' quarters in the center, and in fact it was in sight from here. The encampment was designed to look like a sawmill from what he gathered. Now, three days of observing and planning would pay off, they HAD to pay off. Kyousuke couldn't fail; He wanted Saeko back badly.

Kyousuke heard a metal ringing and saw more guards, dressed in their dark grey pants and shirts and thin metal armor. Kyousuke considered the horses in the stable for a minute, and then disregarded them as a means of escape. He didn't know how to ride one and it would take to long to try and hastily ready one. That was all pending the creatures didn't just flee…He realized they had a use after all. Kyousuke hurried inside. He came upon a stable worker, a young woman who had been virtually frozen by his appearance. Kyousuke softened his expression.

"Hide, now! Your freedom is at hand." He ordered.

The woman fled towards the far gate. Kyousuke reached out to call to her, but he heard guards approaching. Kyousuke enveloped his blade in lightning and turned towards the voices before using his last bit of enhanced speed to meet them. The electricity did more damage than the blade as it connected with the armor. Kyousuke, all too used to channeling the element, felt little more than a tingle in his bones. Some, in fact several, didn't even have all their armor on, or only their torso plates on. Each one became just as faceless as the last, and without knowing it Kyousuke took down the six that'd come in. Kyousuke burst past the last one into the open and found that several guards were passing by, heading for the gate. One stopped and pointed towards him.

"There he is!" One shouted.

Kyousuke retreated back inside and hurried towards the other entrance and went out a side door. Behind him, several shots rang out, startling the horses inside. The creatures cried and began to stir violently, seeking escape from the bullets whizzing by them and break pieces of the wooden building that surrounded them. Kyousuke went down the length of the building, only stopping to check the far corner. He spotted the slaves' quarters and hurried across the grounds between him and them. A quick glance revealed men piling into the stables to try and calm things. Kyousuke put his full spirit into the next few strides and aimed himself at a guard rushing from the first building.

"Saekoooo!" He bellowed, hoping she'd hear him. Despite the silence, he drew in breath again as he blocked the man's spear.

"Saeko, I'm coming!" He promised.

Inside the middle building of three, Saeko Izumo looked around at the sound of the faint scream. She sat as still as she could and heard it again.

"My Lady Saeko! My love!" A voice cried in a warlike fashion.

That voice; she'd heard it many times. Loud and soft, serious and embarrassed, always betraying how enamored with her its owner was. She opened her mouth to reply, but stopped as a figure passed by outside. Judgement told her to wait; one of the guards might connect a few dots and use her against him. Instead she kept herself quiet and waited on the cot inside the four-person bedroom. A few of the others in the wooden space looked at the ill woman.

"Has someone come for you?" A middle-aged woman with graying hair asked. Saeko nodded.

"Yes…but I will wait for him to get closer." Saeko nodded.

It was a hard wait for her; she wanted to cry out to him and find him at the doorway the next second. Her fingers moved nervously as the guard passed by their room again. He stopped just after as rapid footfalls approached.

"Halt!" The guard shouted. Kyousuke opened her mouth to yell.

"It's Gorman, you fucking twit!" A familiar voice replied impatiently.

Saeko recognized the tongue of the man who seemed to be in charge here. She tensed and then silently asked the heavens to ensure Kyousuke and the man crossed paths. Her face soured at the thought of the man who'd led the attack on her family's estate escaping.

"We've got somebody wiping out our guards! Don't know why he's here, but look for a skinny fucker in a blue robe with a ponytail and a sword!" Gorman barked.

Saeko felt a weak smile form on her lips as Gorman ran off; that most certainly had to be Kyousuke. She felt the smile staying as the sounds of a fight drew ever closer. More and more footfalls started to fill the air as Kyousuke shouted constantly for the others to flee to freedom between calls for her. He could hear shouts rising back, begging for help in fleeing this place. People demanding keys to speed up the process and get more people free so they could push their way out of the camp. Saeko knew that Kyousuke couldn't bring himself to free her alone, but she had no complaints. It was in his code to do this and all she could do was be patient. Finally she heard the sound of the guard outside racing to one end of the hallway.

"Halt you bastard!" He barked.

The sound of metal weapons colliding prompted her to go to the door. She tried to prop herself up, slowly, which prompted help from the others in the room.

"Please…I must get to the door!" She pleaded in a strained tone.

"No, you must rest!" The oldest of them insisted.

"Please…please I must see him!" She declared.

The desire just to see him was so great it was causing tears to well up in her eyes. Months of poor food, long hours of work, and cramped conditions had reduced her strength and made her somewhat thinner, only for some of that to be reversed in weeks of being in bed. Her spirit had yet to be broken, however. She'd clung to the hope he'd come, and now all the hoping was about to pay off. She started gathering her strength to cry out for him. She heard the crackle of electricity; Kyousuke was going to finish this fight. In a brilliant flash, he brought his electrically-charged blade against the man's arm. Kyousuke's opponent fell with an angry cry. The swordsman looked around and drew in breath to call Saeko's name again.

"Kyousuke, I'm here!" She called first.

Kyousuke stared at the source of the cry in disbelief. The voice was almost instantly recognizable, and yet at the same time hard to believe.

"I'm in here!" She called again.

Kyousuke nearly tore the dead guard's keys from his belt and hurried to the cell he'd heard the cries originate from. He fumbled with the object in his growing excitement. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the door opened. Kyousuke hurried in, leaving the keys in the door to be seized by the other women. Meeting him was a weak-looking but smiling Saeko; Kyousuke dropped to his knees at her bedside and kissed a hand she extended.

"My Lady Saeko…MY beloved bride to be…I have come to rescue you." He said, unable to force the overjoyed smile from his face.

"So formal as always, MY virtuous warrior, but I'm glad you have come for me." She replied.

"I would've gone to the ends of the planet to be reunited with the woman for whom I have nothing but love."

Saeko hid her face with a free hand.

"It's improper to tell an unmarried woman such things, Kyousuke." She said. His voice got quiet.

"I hope to soon change that."

Kyousuke slowly helped her from the bed and, at her insistence, onto her feet. She griped him tightly and went a few steps before she moved her free arm to clutch him in embrace. Kyousuke cautiously returned her show of affection and let himself melt in her arms. Despite her dirty and frail condition, he saw the beautiful noblewoman and felt her smooth, black hair between his fingers. She kissed his cheek to get his attention and then brought their lips together for a long, long time. Only after did they continue into the hall and on towards freedom. Others were gathering, waiting in case their help was needed. Kyousuke insisted that he help her and kept her up from the right. It kept him from accessing his sword quickly, but for now his weapon was in the back of his mind. That was exactly what the figure observing them all planned to exploit.

From the end of the hall opposite Kyousuke's entrance point, Julian Gorman kept close to the wall. He figured he wouldn't have much time to aim, lest he give up the element of surprise. Unlike the guards under him, who all carried Sierra Company lever-action rifles, Gorman preferred a Model 782 Revolver. Normally he kept it filled with three poisonous bullets and three hollow-point bullets, but in his haste he had only standard ones. It would work either way if he incapacitated this do-gooder with a sword. Then he could rein these people in, hopefully with the help of any guards that might still be around. Or, he also thought, he could make the escape harder to pull off. With a breath he turned the corner, weapon clutched firmly in both hands. He fired as soon as he was out in full view.

Kyousuke recognized the sound was a gunshot as Saeko's face contorted in pain. She stared at him and clung tightly to his robe as her legs seemed to give out. Behind her, Kyousuke spotted Gorman; the man's eyes were wide in panic. Kyousuke put the pieces of the puzzle together and realized that the man in the green coat and black pants had been aiming for him. He saw people rush towards the man, who started to raise his weapon for more shots. They got to him first; Kyousuke was now too concerned with Saeko to care. He lowered her to the ground and clutched her tightly.

"Kyou…Kyousuke." She said in a shaky voice.

"I'm here, Saeko…please, stay with me…" He replied.

"Is anyone here a doctor?!" He shouted over the confusion. No one answered; he looked back at her as she had a near death-grip on him.

"You must be strong, Saeko, please…"

Kyousuke's words were edged with panic, but he forced himself to remain calm.

"Is anybody here a doctor?!" He repeated in vain. Saeko tugged at his robe to get his attention.

"Kyousuke…please hold me close." She croaked.

He did as she asked and held her close. In the frenzy, most people were busy either beating Gorman or as helpless as the swordsman holding his lover close to him. Saeko grew pale as her weak condition made the wound a thousand times worse.

"I love you with all my heart, Kyousuke…" She whispered in his ear.

"I love you, too." Kyousuke replied.

The two lovers went back and forth; repeating the phrase to one another until Saeko gently rested her head against him and closed her eyes. Her husband to be waited for a few minutes for her to move, and then felt her breathing stop. Kyousuke clenched his teeth and kissed her lips one last time. With great pain he carried her back inside her room and carefully laid her on her bed. Swallowing any tears that threatened to come up, he got on his knees and bowed his head.

"Let…let her journey beyond this world be…one of…peace." He mumbled between deep breaths.

Outside Gorman's cries grew louder as blow after blow landed on him. Kyousuke raised his head and his face morphed into an expression of calm resolution. His inner anger had exploded so much that it had rushed past the stage of visible outrage and become a drive towards action. He walked outside the room, ignoring the blood from Saeko's wound on his robe, and stopped short of the flogging.

"Enough!" Kyousuke bellowed, uncharacteristically so.

The people stopped and looked up at the man before he ordered them to clear a path. Gorman, who'd curled up to absorb the blow, slowly looked up at Kyousuke.

"On your knees." The swordsman hissed.

Gorman took a visible gulp, and then slowly uncurled himself and sat on his knees.

"What is your name?" Kyousuke demanded. Gorman looked at him in confusion for a minute, and then clasped his hands together. His words came out with fear.

"L-Listen please, I'm just a henchman…I didn't cre-"

"WHAT IS YOUR NAME?" Kyousuke roared. The man flinched, covered his head, and then slowly looked at Kyousuke again.

"Julian…Julian G-Gorman." He said, hands still covering his head. Kyousuke rested a hand on the handle of his weapon.

"Uncover your head, Julian Gorman." He ordered, returning to a calmer and colder tone. Julian slowly did just that while Kyousuke launched into a summary of what was going to happen.

"Julian Gorman, in our lives we commit transgressions and crimes. None of us are truly innocent…but many of those instances can be forgiven over time through various ways. We learn to forgive and repent, and in turn we strive to be better…but some transgressions cannot be atoned for in this life. YOU have committed one of those transgressions, and it is my duty to ensure you atone for the blood you have spilled." Kyousuke said. Gorman's eyes bulged as the Mage drew his swords.

"Do you have any final words?" Kyousuke asked. Gorman tried to speak, but it only came out as a croak. When Kyousuke raised his balde, the man found words.

"PLEASE DON'T KILL ME I'M FUCKING BEG-"

Kyousuke stopped the plea with his blade.


	14. Chp 14: Where to From Here?

_Chp. 14: Where to From Here?_

 _Kardia Graveyard_

Sera found it increasingly hard to watch Kyousuke from a distance while he sat in the rain. He spent three days gazing blankly at the grave where Saeko Izumo now rested peacefully. She was glad that he had his hat on to keep some of the rain off of his head. She wanted to comfort him, though; wrap her arms around him and refuse to let him go until he smiled. She wanted to tell him it'd be okay and that Saeko would still love him even in death. She'd always love him and she'd want him to let go. In the end though, she always felt guilty about it. Somewhere in her mind she felt hesitant to approach because she'd convince herself she was rushing in to claim him for herself. She at least needed to give him time before she offered comfort. _He's your teammate and friend though_ , she thought, _never mind if you love him. Be a good friend and a good person and comfort him._

Reluctantly she walked towards the swordsman, trying to make as much noises as she could when she walked through puddles to alert him. Sera also wondered for a moment if there might have been something they could've done. The young woman quickly shook her head at the thought; that was out of the question from the start. She and Connie had arrived as a makeshift funeral procession, headed by their fellow mage, was exiting the camp. Even in death, Kyousuke's beloved kept an air of elegance about her. At Kyousuke's behest she was buried here. Much to Kyousuke's surprise, all members of Fairy Tail not away on jobs had attended. That made Sera grin for a minute, namely because Kyousuke had been genuinely surprised by the act. He'd learn that the guild was truly a family yet. Kyousuke turned his head towards Sera as she approached; his friend gave him a small smile.

"I came to check up on you. People at the guild are starting to wonder if you've left." She said softly. Kyousuke shrugged.

"I've considered that path; there is no reason for me to remain here." He confessed.

Sera shifted uncomfortably at the thought but shooed it away. This was no time to think about herself, she thought.

"I don't think that's a good idea." She found herself saying anyways. _Dammit Seraphim..._ she thought; Kyousuke didn't answer.

"I beheaded her murderer." He declared, more to himself.

Sera was unsurprised by the comment. The concept of vengeance was far from taboo in Kyousuke's code of honor. It was justified as stamping out evil and making examples of those who'd decided that morally repugnant paths of life were acceptable. Connie had nearly beaten the life out of him for such an act, coming from a family that valued "Thou shalt not kill", but Sera had kept them apart. She knew she hadn't satisfied Connie's anger, but she'd distracted it and kept it from coming back to the surface. Connie Logan wasn't about to let Kyousuke get away with lopping a man's head off, though. She simply nodded in response and searched for more to say. To her surprise, Kyousuke stood up and removed his hat before going to his hands and knees apologetically.

"Please forgive me, My Saeko…I have failed you twice." He said with audible strain.

Sera gripped her umbrella tightly and tried not to cry either as he stood up. They stood there, facing each other in silence for a few minutes. Unsettled by his comments on leaving, Sera was unable to hold back bringing up the subject again.

"Kyousuke, you shouldn't leave. I thought you hated being off on your own like that?" She asked after a hard gulp. He avoided her gaze and changed the subject yet again.

"Thank you for all of your help. You and Connie both." He said. Now Sera wasn't having any of it.

"Kyousuke, I need to know NOW: are you leaving?" She asked, trying not to sound too angry.

Kyousuke lapsed into deep silence, unsure of which route he wanted to take. It felt like there was nothing for him at Fairy Tail now, but isolation felt just as bad. Only this time he would be without the hopes of seeing Saeko again. It occurred to him that perhaps he should stay to guard her grave, but he tossed aside the thought. He was thinking too much and Saeko would've wanted him to live. He felt himself trembling as he longed to feel her warmth again. Even if it was one final time, he wanted to feel the happiness and love she made him feel. To hear her say his name like she did, to hold his hand firmly, to embrace him and to feel her lips against his. He clenched his fists; Gorman's death didn't feel satisfactory.

Kyousuke shook his head and chased away such selfish thoughts. He opened his eyes and found Sera still staring at him. He thought he saw something in her gaze, but the errant thought never made it to the front of his mind.

"Please, I must be alone now." He requested.

Without waiting for an answer, Kyousuke brushed past Sera and walked on into the rain. Sera watched him go without a word. Without her in his view, her emotions happily started to manifest in a more and more visible manner. Sera sniffled loudly several times and then wiped her eyes. The most painful part was how Kyousuke had changed now. He'd grown distant almost instantly, and now he seemed happy to embrace his fear of loneliness to escape…what? Why did he want to leave? What possible reason could he have? She wanted to catch up to him and hug him; Sera found her feet moving almost immediately after that thought. She hurried and hurried until she saw his outline.

"Kyousuke!" She called.

He turned around as she was only a few steps away and before he knew it, he was in her embrace. Kyousuke felt his cheeks warm in surprise while Sera swallowed sobs and cries and buried her face in his torso. He stood there like a stone for a few minutes until Sera was able to get words out.

"Kyousuke…please don't leave…" She begged with considerable effort.

He stared down at her stupidly, unable to comprehend anything at this point. She stared back up at him, waiting for his expression to change. Anger flared up through the young woman's sadness.

"Damn you! Damn you, Ishuu Kyousuke! Can't you see that you're wanted here?!" She screamed. She drew back a hand to slap him.

"Can't you see that…"

 _I love you?_

The question went unfinished. Sera looked down and then ran off, shouting "short-sighted dipshit!" at him as she disappeared into the rain. Kyousuke tensed, and then turned and left. He needed to dwell on what was happening to his life. Raiden had to have some answer…

* * *

It'd been the first time Connie had seen Sera all day. The Steel Make Mage was used to being the one that wasn't around most of the day. She came into the main hall and plopped down without even as much as a "hello" for Gitana or him. She took off her glasses and buried her face in her palms. Her friends exchanged glances before silently plotting what to say. Connie lowered his mug of ale and leveled his gaze at the space just in front of her face. He soon considered offering her a towel for her hair, but the young woman spoke first.

"Connie what're you drinking?" She mumbled from behind her hands. She didn't even look over at him; Connie shifted uncomfortably but kept calm and happy.

"Ahh! Uhm, water!" He lied.

"Har har har."

"…I swear it's water."

"No it isn't."

"…It's ale."

"Mirajane! Big mug of ale!" Sera shouted, face still in her hands. She added a shy "please!" a few second later.

The woman walked up with the requested drink, at first smiling like she always did. When she saw Sera's state, the woman looked at Connie and mouthed "please tell me this is actually your ale". Connie nodded for Sera's sake but before the booze could be kept from Sera, she pulled back her head and accepted the mug as it was held out.

"Thank you, Mira. If this could please go on my tab?" Sera replied.

"Oh! Certainly!" Mirajane replied, quickly composing herself after the surprise and silence.

Sera took a long pull from the mug before slamming it down with a sarcastic sigh of relief. Gitana pinched the bridge of her nose as she felt a headache coming on and then drew in a deep breath.

"Okay, okay…Sera? What. Happened." She asked in a calm but exasperated tone.

"You tell me, Gitana. You and Connie and everyone else in this guild like to pair me and Kyousuke together." Sera replied between long pulls from the mug.

"Care to elaborate?" Gitana asked cautiously.

"No…Kyousuke's a thickheaded dolt who can't see past his responsibilities and his stupid honor…" Sera remarked angrily between drinks.

"Mira, another please!" She shouted after simply chugging the rest of the mug.

Connie felt his free hand clench and unclench. Whatever had happened today had really sent things south between the two, even if they weren't actively pursuing one another. He could easily guess that Kyousuke's lack of perception on these matters had made things especially hard for Sera. Kyousuke wasn't really at fault but Connie still felt the need to smack him. Connie kept his anger on a leash; if Gitana or Sera caught wind of what he was starting to think, they'd pull out all the stops to prevent him from doing what was on his mind. From Connie's perspective, though, the only solution at this point was direct intervention. He watched with hardening resolve as the bespectacled mage took another mug from a worried-looking Mirajane and got to work on it almost immediately.

For a second he considered if he was being selfish. It was, or would be, a relationship between Sera and Kyousuke. He was also keen on the fact that not everyone liked it when you meddled in their personal affairs. This was only realistic chance Sera seemed to have. She had, in the time he'd known her, shown active interest in any other boy. He looked up as the doors opened and in came Kyousuke. He glanced to the left at Sera and saw her scowl at the swordsman from behind her mug. Connie stood up and casually walked towards Kyousuke, stretching as he walked. On the surface it looked like he was about to get exercise.

"Kyousuke, let's go spar." He said. The swordsman turned his head towards the other man as Connie walked by without pause.

"Come on, it'll be light stuff." The taller of the two promised.

"Very well, maybe it'll help me…" Kyousuke said with a sigh.

"That's the spirit." Connie said.

The two walked out in front of the guild hall, closing the door behind them. Kyousuke stretched and then assumed a ramrod-straight stance to bow before they fought. Connie replied by punching the man hard enough in the torso to send him flying back. Kyousuke tumbled and landed against the doors to the hall with a thud. He could see stars clouding his vision.

"YOU STUPID SON OF A BITCH!" Connie roared.

Kyousuke fumbled to try and get on his feet but Connie picked him up and threw him the other way.

"YOU STUPID, UNTHINKING, HONOR-OBSESSED, TWIG-LOOKING, OVERLY STUBBORN AND HEARTLESS MORON."

Connie drew in a loud breath as Kyousuke struggled to his feet. He stopped and stared down the swordsman as he got to his feet.

"Connie, what is the meaning of this?" Kyousuke snarled, pushing through spikes of confusion and pain as he tried to stop his head from spinning and regain his balance. He felt for the handle of his sword.

"Take that little pocket knife out and I'll break it off in yah ass, boy." The taller man snorted. Kyousuke tried to center his eyes on one of the three Connor Logans he saw through the rain.

"You wouldn't dare…" He hissed.

"Bitch I can cover my hands in steel; your little letter opener wouldn't stand a friggin chance." Connie said as he walked up to Kyousuke.

With little effort, Connie shoved Kyousuke onto the ground and looked back as Gitana and Sera came out.

"Sera, back inside. I won't hurt the little bastard; I'm just gonna give him a good slap. Tell the master if yah want because I'll be happy to defend my actions." Connie said, holding up a finger as Sera opened her mouth in anger.

"Connie, is this really necessary?" Gitana groaned, pressing an open palm to her face.

"It was; I'm done slappin him…now, some privacy please? Me and Kyousuke are gonna have a little brother-to-brother talk." The Steel Make Mage replied, sounding more like he was their older brother.

Sera felt her fists ball. Her face got warm in anger as she looked at her two teammates.

"You aren't helping, Connie!" She finally shouted. Connie sighed.

"Sera? I know how yah feel but your boy's a little dense." He pointed out.

"Her boy…?" Kyousuke asked as he rubbed his forehead.

"Quiet, Kyousuke." Connie ordered.

"Don't talk to him like that!" Sera scolded.

"Calm down, calm down."

"I will not! He's our teammate and you aren't allowed to treat him like a kid!"

"Sera to be honest he needs some guidance on this one.

"This isn't the way to do it!"

Kyousuke arched an eyebrow at Gitana and then checked himself. He was a little bruised and sore, but nothing seemed to be badly damaged. When he looked back up, The Transformation Mage seemed to have had enough of the bickering going on in front of her.

"Guys!" She barked. Sera quieted immediately, and a glare eventually brought Connie to heel.

"Okay first can we get out of the rain? Second, can we stop arguing and do something productive? I like a good fight as much as anyone in this guild but in fun, not out of anger." Gitana said at length.

"I would agree with Gitana." Kyousuke said as he cautiously stood up. Connie did nothing; instead he sighed.

"Calm down Kyousuke; I don't sucker punch friends." He assured.

Kyousuke considered him further; Connie nodded in understanding. Truth be told he was more confused than angry. Saeko's death had drained him and he was too overwhelmed by that and Sera's actions today to really fight. Somewhere in his mind he tried to urge himself to fight, but he could see that it would only backfire on him. He'd end up being the "bad guy" since Connie had held himself back.

"Please believe me when I say that I can be…abrasive…sometimes…" He explained. Sera coughed.

"Okay a lot, but I am because I care, Kyousuke. Yah been mopin for days now and it ain't you. I want my friend back, okay?" Connie went on.

There was another moment of silence before Kyousuke slowly nodded.

"Very well…I see no reason to hold a grudge. Besides you were never one to wait on a fight." Kyousuke nodded. He held out a hand and the two shook.

"Guys, the rain?" Gitana spoke up.

"Alright alright, but I'm still giving Kyousuke some guidance on this one. Good Lord knows he needs it." The man declared, exasperated.

"Guidance on what?" Kyousuke asked, tilting his head.

Gitana encouraged them all back inside. Sera seemed to realize something, then crossed her arms over her chest and fled, blushing. Only Connie and Gitana realized that in getting soaked her shirt had been more or less glued to her figure. Kyousuke was aware they were all good and we, but he simply took off his robe and shook it several times while he was at the doorway. Connie rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Kyousuke do you want anything to drink before we sit down and talk?" Connie asked. The swordsman shook his head.

"Okay then…" Connie began.

Connie patted the table a few times and tried to think of how to best word things. He wasn't used to sharing his advice with someone so…unaware of things. Nonetheless he thought until he had a reasonable start.

"So Kyousuke, at some point you would agree that you should move on from Saeko, yes? Let her rest and find another beloved?" Connie asked slowly. Kyousuke frowned and nodded reluctantly.

"Yes, I believe that would be wise…as would remaining here at the guild."

"Say what?"

"I considered leaving a brief time, but was convinced by Sera earlier today."

"Oh…well on that note, have yah ever given thought as to who you'd move on to?"

Kyousuke shook his head.

"Perhaps we should think about who might be interested in you staying?" Connie asked, stressing the last half.

Kyousuke seemed to go into deep thought, longer than it should've taken even for him. Connie and Gitana waited patiently as their friend's gears worked inside his head. Connie tried to remain patient while Gitana seemed to be ready to give him all the time in the world. _Come on boy, use the brain God gave yah…I know you were at least checkin her out at the casino…_

"….Gitana?" Kyousuke finally asked slowly. The woman threw her head back in surprise and let several loud laughs. Connie buried his head in his hands.

"No Kyousuke, it isn't Gitana. She's got Yvonne." He grumbled.

"Oh…" Kyousuke said.

"Yes, anyways who else do you think it might be?" Connie went on. Kyousuke thought a minute more, and then looked towards the bar.

"…Can-"

"Don't. Even. Finish. That. Sentence."

"…Miraj-"

"Or that one."

Gitana was gasping for breath between roaring laughs.

"Juvia?"

"Maybe if you cut off yer tail thingy you'd look like Grey…"

"…I'd have to commit ritual suicide if my wolf's tail was cut off, Connie."

"…Way to make me feel like an asshole, but no it's not Juvia."

"Oh…Lucy?"

"Not if yah wanna meet a man in a suit who offers you a seat and a cookie."

"Uhm…"

"What I mean is she's too young for you."

"Oh…then Bisca?"

"She's taken."

"Erza? She and I seem to have similar personalities."

"Pfffft, not if yah value living with an unbroken spine."

"Evergreen?"

"Take it from me: she's a bitch."

"Laki?"

"Have you and her so much as shared a paragraph of conversation?"

"…No."

By now Gitana was on the floor, filling the hall with roaring laughter. Connie sighed, pressed his palms to his face, and then took in a deep breath.

"Okay…now that we've gone through all of them, who does that leave?" He asked. Kyousuke went back into deep thought.

"Oh for the love of…it's SERA! SERA. For whatever reason she loves yah and she wants only you! She WANTS you, Kyousuke Ishuu!" Connie blurted out.

Kyousuke's eyes went wide as it all finally clicked. Connie stood up and threw his hands skywards.

"Halleluiah! The boy can be taught!" He declared to the heavens.

"So then…Sera has romantic desires for me…" Kyousuke nodded, more to himself than the others. Gitana finally dragged herself back into her seat after her laughing subsided.

"Yes, she does…" Gitana breathed out.

The two watched as the swordsman shifted and blushed. Connie leaned forward and cocked a brow.

"Something you want to share, Kyousuke?" He asked. Kyousuke looked away and frowned.

"…Despite my loyalty to Saeko, I must confess that I often feel temptation from well-endowed women such as Sera. I appear to have repressed my own carnal desires for her…" Kyousuke admitted sheepishly.

"Dude, you are neither the first nor the last to want a busty girl, even if you're already taken." Connie snorted.

"You've gotta admit it's still kind of cute, though." Gitana smiled.

"Yeah yeah, now Kyousuke? I believe it's time you gave Sera a chance. Ask her out, let her air her feelings, and the go from there." Connie added. Kyousuke nodded, and then frowned again.

"One last question…how does someone go about "asking someone out", Connie?" He asked. Connie just smiled back.

"Mirajane? Ale please!" He called.


	15. Chp 15: A New Start

_Chp. 15: A New Start_

 _Fairy Tail Guild Hall_

It wasn't so bad, Sera thought, when you were finally all "dolled up" as he mom used to say. In fact she felt rather sexy and confident when she looked herself over in the mirror. Gitana, and later Mirajane, had been helpful guides into a world she wasn't very familiar with: impressing guys through one's appearance. Sera had been on dates before, but she'd always had her mom to make sure she did everything right. Once she'd left the house Sera had lost interest in presenting herself as a single woman looking for a man. At first there'd been the matter of finding her place in the world, and then she'd secretly clung to the hope she would get the romance she'd wanted since she was little. The knight in shining armor coming to sweep her off her feet never came though. Well, until Kyousuke Ishuu came into her life.

Sera looked at herself in the mirror one last time. Admittedly the outfit was cuter than she'd led others to believe: high-heeled boots, black skirt, and a red sweater that hugged her figure in order to bring attention to it. She also didn't mind wearing lipstick and earrings, or having her hair styled into a more elegant braid. She wanted to retain something that defined her usual looks, and her braid was the one thing she'd managed to convince Mirajane to leave alone. The barmaid seemed to have a switch that turned her into one of the most appearance-conscious people when flipped. Sera's lack of "date clothes" had resulted in her getting hurried off to the nearest clothing store, and Mira had even started plotting trips for "more feminine" swimwear and lingerie. Sera failed to see how either of those mattered; this was the first date.

She left her room and took the time between that space and the hall to get used to walking in her boots. _Maybe Kyousuke will hold my hand so I don't fall over_ she thought with a blush. Just the thought of basic shows of affection made her smile. She heard a whistle and looked behind to see Mira at her usual place behind the bar, fists thrown skywards.

"You go Sera! Get yourself a man!" She called, proud of her work.

"T-thanks Mira! For everything!" Sera replied sheepishly.

"Be careful you two, and have fun." Gitana laughed. Sera snorted.

"Yes mom, I hear you." She replied sarcastically.

Kyousuke was waiting by the front door, looking as nervous as she was. Sera was surprised to find he was dressed very differently than he usually was. He seemed to feel out of place in beige slacks and v-neck shirt. She had to keep herself from giggling over the fact that he still had his sword on his hip and was still wearing his socks and wooden sandals.

"Kyousuke, I almost didn't recognize you! N-not to say that you don't look nice, it's just I've never seen you in much else besides your prefer clothing!" Sera said, going from surprised to nervous over the course of her statement.

"Connie insisted that I invest in something for occasions such as this. I tried to use the tuxedo I had acquired for our job at the casino but he objected. He said it was far too formal for a first date." He replied, looking down at the shirt.

"I must confess I do not feel that I wear this well, as the saying goes." He told her.

"Though this scholar prefers your traditional garb, she's also inclined to say that you look very handsome in it." She assured. Kyousuke blushed.

"Thank you, Sera." He said softly.

The young woman nodded and started forwards, still trying to maintain her sense of balance. Kyousuke reached out and took her hand to steady her.

"Though it isn't something that one might do on a "first date", I believe to prevent you from falling over I should hold your hand." Kyousuke explained to a wide-eyed Sera as he led them out the doors.

"Good thinking." She squeaked.

The two walked down the street, navigating towards the river. Kyousuke had beseeched Connie, and then Gitana, for some kind of direction. He had learned some of Sera's tastes through their friendship but had no idea where they could go. Kyousuke's experience in this kind of thing had been restricted to walking the estate grounds with Saeko or dining with her instead of in the guards' lodging. Now that they had a plan for the night, his nervous habits were only due to the fact that he was trying to remain calm in front of Sera. At least he'd gotten past actually asking her out.

He looked at her again and averted his eyes as he felt his face warm. Sera noted the move a felt a smile dash across her face before returning to a neutral expression. Kyousuke felt like he was seeing her for the first time, and she was indescribably beautiful. He felt feelings raging inside him he hadn't felt since he'd first met Saeko. He realized the silence had gone on a little longer than was comfortable and cleared his throat.

"So Gitana recommended an eatery called The Magnolia Skillet. I am unfamiliar with it." He spoke up. Sera's eyes lit up a bit.

"It's wonderful, and not too stuffy either. The servings are so generous, too!" She exclaimed.

"You seem very fond of it." Kyousuke smiled. She nodded eagerly.

"My mom liked to cook a lot, especially when it came to breakfasts."

"I must admit a good feast always gets my spirits up."

Sera nodded and stopped.

"I guess…I guess you could say it all went straight to here…" She laughed cautiously, hoping to crack at least one good joke in her life. Kyousuke's eyes widened but he continued to snicker.

"The kind of humor me and my fellow guards would share is unlike you, Sera. That's not to say I am not amused." He replied. Sera had to keep herself from bending over and heaving a loud sigh of relief.

"I have a question, however: what kind of food will be served to us?" Kyousuke asked as they started moving again.

"Expect lots of meats, veggies, eggs and cheese in various combinations. Usually served hot with some kind of sauce." Sera explained.

"So like soy sauce?"

"I think one of their menu items has that."

"I'd be willing to try something else. My typical diet can only be enjoyable for so long before I feel the need to indulge myself."

Sera's face got a little smug.

"I think the Lightning Swordsman would agree that every now and again one is allowed to live like a king."

Kyousuke chuckled but his growling stomach was louder.

"Me too…in fact let's hope the wait for our meal won't be too long." He said with a sad but humorous smile.

"Then let's hurry!" Sera replied, taking the lead.

The young woman went forward in stride and immediately regretted doing so in heeled boots. Kyousuke stood his ground as she went forward with a yelp before carefully helping her back to a more balanced stance.

"Perhaps patience is something we should exercise more of tonight." The swordsman observed.

"I second the motion." Sera said, blushing for what was likely to be one of many, many times over the course of tonight.

The Magnolia Skillet occupied the space that'd once been held by a boat-maker. Odd, Kyousuke admitted, but the place felt warm and home-like. A large fireplace and wooden chandeliers warmed and lit the place, while several trophies of animals decorated the walls. Diners were seated at long tables; Sera and Kyousuke had gotten seats at the end of one. Kyousuke gazed up at the head of a buffalo as it glared blankly into space. An impressively sized creature like that likely provided a lot of meat.

"Have you ever tried Buffalo meat?" Sera asked. Kyousuke shook his head.

"What does it taste like?" He replied.

"Very tender; it's much like beef."

Kyousuke nodded in understanding and looked back down at the menu before him. _So many choices_ he thought. Eventually he settled on the buffalo with onions, bleu cheese, and green peppers. Sera ordered a pork skillet with mixed cheese and corn. A bear of a waiter who spoke mostly in grunts took both their orders and lumbered off. Kyousuke looked back down at the glass jar before him.

"You said this is tea, yes?" He asked.

"Iced tea." Sera nodded.

"I did not know tea could be served cold…It seems to defeat the purpose of the drink."

He sipped a little but showed no signs of disdain.

"You can add a little sugar if you want." Sera said, pointing at a small dish full of bright-yellow packets between them.

Kyousuke nodded and took another brief sip. The drink was okay, but he still would've preferred the kind of tea he was used to. The Swordsman stared down at his hands and then glanced back at Sera. He had to admit she looked stunning tonight, though he had recognized her beauty before. Sera seemed to be extremely shy about flaunting her physical attributes and Kyousuke couldn't quite understand why. Kyousuke could understand her being careful about it; she wasn't the kind of woman to allow any man a chance to court her. Perhaps she was like him: devoid of the social graces one could use to romance others. She deserved to at least know she was beautiful, though.

Kyousuke tried to think of how best to word it. While he did find her beautiful, his mind was fresh from grieving over Saeko. It would be wise not to go "too far this soon", as Connie had told him. Well, Sera appreciated culture, his and others. Why not try applying his customs? If he failed then maybe she'd at least understand his approach.

"I must say I feel like I'm seeing the beauty you possess for the first time despite the length of our friendship." He commented. Sera covered her face with her free hand and looked way.

"O-oh, thank you…Kyousuke." She said. He frowned when she seemed to shrink in her seat.

"But it's true! In fact I dare say you rival the beauty of even the most desirable empress!" He insisted. She noted his growing concern and was quick to assure him.

"S-sorry, I'm just not used to have really having any guy tell me how beautiful I am. I was never that girl." Sera explained.

"That girl?" Kyousuke asked with a tilt of his head.

"The girl who attracts all the boys around her and is constantly told how pretty or desirable she is. I was always the bookworm and the wallflower who hid in the corner hoping that one day a knight on a white horse would appear and court her. Or some kind of chivalrous warrior."

Sera looked down at her coffee with some shame over such a far-fetched idea of romance.

"Am I right to assume that is part of what makes me attractive in your eyes?" Kyousuke asked. The metaphorical weight that fell on Sera's head landed so hard she almost reacted as if it were real.

"I uhm…No what I mean is…What I should probably say is…" She insisted breathlessly. At Kyousuke's surprised expression, she sighed and pushed her thumbs together a few times.

"Y-yes…" She mumbled, looking down.

Kyousuke said nothing. Sera cleared her throat and drank some more coffee while he started to think of something to say. Eventually all that he had was a bit of a confession on his part.

"I uhm…I apologize. I never have really thought myself as much of a romantic or a man capable of being attractive to many women."

"What about…" Sera started. She stopped and drank more coffee before Kyousuke could catch what she was asking. Sera hurriedly went for another subject.

"We…haven't really shared life stories, have we?" She realized. Kyousuke shook his head.

"To be fair, on my part that has been somewhat intentional due to my own perceptions." He noted. She nodded, and then smiled a little.

"You can atone by telling me." She proposed.

Kyousuke nodded and began remembering his younger days when he heard the sound of something sizzling. He noted their food had arrived.

"May I at least ask we eat a little before I atone? It does smell quite good." Kyousuke said. That got a quick laugh out of his date.

"Very well, but only because I'm pretty hungry myself."…

* * *

The food was actually very good, if not rather filling. Never in his life had Kyousuke eaten such a meal; he'd always thought this kind of indulgence reserved for the higher levels of society. Many of the flavors were odd, especially the bleu cheese (which wasn't blue as Kyousuke had thought) but Kyousuke was able to find enjoyment in them. They ate in silence save for Sera occasionally explaining things about the food they were eating.

"You seem to know an awful lot about these skillets." Kyousuke observed.

"My mom and dad were the kind of parents who liked to have big family breakfasts together. It was our way of bonding." Sera explained. She used it as a segway.

"I owe my love of studying culture to my parents. My dad comes from a long line of archaeologists of various sorts and my mom's family was heavily involved in books and libraries. Even as a little kid I was learning things and wanting to know more. I guess the whole thing was in my blood from the start." Sera explained. Kyousuke nodded.

"Then you all got along well?" He asked.

"Yes, very much so. My parents are the kind who really emphasized being involved in their kid's life. Making sure she's happy and that everything goes well. They could be a little too involved sometimes and we weren't in perfect, unending harmony but we still got very much along. My mother taught me my magic."

"That sounds wonderful; I must say I envy you in that aspect!"

"Didn't you and your family get along? At least a little?"

Kyousuke chuckled wryly; the action surprised Sera.

"My father disowned me." He revealed. Sera nearly choked on her food.

"He did what now?" She gasped. Kyousuke looked indifferent.

"He didn't agree with the path I wished to take. My father and his family have long been farmers. To him, the world extended as far as the town we lived near."

"So he was a pacifist?"

Kyousuke scoffed.

"A coward is more like it. Pacifists accept that conflict exists but do not seek it. My father refused to believe that conflict was inevitable and likely wouldn't even stand up for his own land." The Swordsman said in a cold tone. He cleared his throat and did away with a little more of his skillet before he went on.

"So I went on to live with the man who taught me." Kyousuke added.

"Did he have anything to say about it?" Sera asked.

"No; to him it was my personal business."

"What was your teacher like?"

"A grumpy man who womanized, but a man with a code. He molded me into a more mature and intelligent-thinking individual. He had to beat it into me first, however."

"Your life story is becoming…concerning, Kyousuke."

"Don't be concerned; I deserved the humbling for my attitude. I didn't start out like this, you know."

"I have to say it's hard to think of you as a brat."

"Oh I was, I was. Too cocky and too eager for a fight. Despite my lack of social grace I must thank my sensei for guiding me to a better path in life. Much like your parents seem to have done for you."

Sera smiled timidly.

"Yeah."

"Do you still see them?"

"When I can. My dad injured his legs really bad a while back. It pisses him off but both me and my mom are able to keep him from straining himself."

"I'm sorry to hear…"

"We still have him, so in the end I'm okay with it so long as it means I still have my dad around. In a way I guess I keep the legacy alive now."

Sera shrugged and continued with her meal.

"As they say: c'est la vie."

Kyousuke stared at her a moment until she looked back up at him.

"Cist…could you repeat that, please?" He asked with several confused blinks. Sera couldn't help a smile.

"Such is life." She explained…

* * *

It was a dream; a wonderful, wonderful dream. A wonderful dream that Sera never wanted to wake up from. Just the simple act of holding hands and walking close to him was making her feel warm. The best part was that it was still the Kyousuke she'd come to know, albeit a bit more shy than usual. She for one enjoyed that he stuck to his own culture's social graces. It made him charming in a sweet and awkward way. He was also rather chivalrous…though Sera wouldn't mind if he ogled a little. Despite her prudish streak and storybook idea of romance, she still hoped to stir a little sexual desire in him. Her eyes flicked towards his torso and she felt a little lust inside her. Memories of how that tux at the casino had clung to him or the times he'd been without his robe flashed back through her mind.

That led to a good question: how fast should she take things? The answer felt obvious, and yet the temptation to confess stalked about under the surface. Kyousuke was asking the same question to himself. He'd noted Sera's physique as she'd been hoping he would. Being reminded that such an intelligent woman could also display physical appeal was greatly attractive to him. Sophistication and sexiness; it was a combination Saeko had also possessed. He snapped out of his daze and realized they were making yet another lap around the park's fountain. Their dinner had been so filling that any kind of sweets, customary for a date according to Gitana, had become an unappealing thought.

Kyousuke searched for something to do and found himself staring up at the night sky. The last wisps of the rainstorms that'd been drenching Magnolia all week were slowly fading away. In their wake were the stars and moon.

"It kind of puts things in perspective, doesn't it?" Sera spoke up. Kyousuke stopped and looked at her.

"Yes…it does." He agreed.

"Legends talk about how there are giants and gods out there, living among those little dots. Well, they seem little to us."

"It's comforting to feel small, sometimes."

"What makes you say that, Kyousuke?"

The swordsman let go of her hand and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Sometimes one's own problems can feel big enough. Imagine what a god's must feel like. Imagine what Raiden's must feel like."

"It probably helps when he has at least one hardworking disciple."

Kyousuke looked at her and chuckled in embarrassment.

"I'm also capable of my own flattery, Mr. Ishuu~" Sera sang.

Her date smiled at her and felt a blossoming sensation of joy in his chest. Being with her like this…well, it felt a little like being with Saeko again. He looked around and saw an elderly man packing up what seemed to be a flower cart. Kyousuke, acting on that feeling, excused himself and hurried to the man. Sera watched as the two conversed quickly before Kyousuke exchanged some Jewel for a small bouquet of roses. He hurried back over and presented them to an astonished Seraphim Chevalie.

"I…t-thank you Kyousuke!" She stammered, taking the flowers in her hand. The young man smiled and cleared his throat.

"You make me feel an emotion which I have not felt in a long time…" He started. She hid part of her face behind the flowers.

"Oh?" She asked quietly.

"Yes, I…"

An alarm went off in Kyousuke's head before he could go on. _She isn't like Saeko and this is only the first outing. Don't force your emotions upon her._

"I can't really describe…I'm sorry, I'm making you uncomfortable by riding on an emotional high." He said, going from musing to sheepish.

Maybe the roses had been a bit much…Kyousuke started to seek some way out of the situation, but his mind stalled.

Sera bit her lower lip and looked down at the flowers. She was floored and feeling her own indescribable feeling. For a minute she debated if she should act on it. Quickly, emotion won the day over caution. Sera decided that she'd gotten a good enough signal to act on the impulse and decided maybe she could go a little fast with things. Just this once, if nothing else.

"Kyousuke…please close your eyes." She spoke up.

He went rigid and then nodded obediently. Sera looked around and then made it quick. She took a few steps until she was at his side and then stood as tall as she could so her lips could reach his right cheek. Before she could pull away proper, she felt her balance slipping. Kyousuke opened his eyes to respond but instead caught his friend first. He steadied her; Sera coughed and cleared her throat. She smiled behind the flowers this time.

"Would it be rude of me to ask about the possibility of a second date this soon?" She whispered.


	16. Chp 16: Into the Shadows

_Chp. 16: Into the Shadows_

 _Fargoue's Camp_

"Quite frankly boss, I say good riddance to the sniveling little coward."

Fargoue looked up from the decapitated body of Gorman. Nicholas was still looking down at the man.

"That's all fine and dandy, Nick. There's a bigger problem here, though. A much bigger problem." He said with growing irritation.

"Someone knows about this operation. They have known; this and the recent attacks on the caravans heading south are proof enough. The only question is who it is…" Fargoue went on, turning and looking at several damaged buildings, hit by gunfire and thrown weapons.

"Is there any indication it was Fiore's military?" He asked. Nick looked around and shook his head.

"Can't be, sir. Besides the people held here, nothing else of value is gone. The documents, maps, all that stuff that would let the Royal Army rip this thing apart and have evidence against us? Still here. In fact that bugs me the most: this attack seems so random. Spur-of-the-moment. Like somebody just woke up one day and said "I'm gonna go raid this camp" to themselves. Hell the few survivors we have said it was apparently just one guy at first before the prisoners rebelled." He explained. Fargoue cocked a brow.

"I'd say it's a guild but unless this guy was one of the so-called "Wizard Saints" or something super-powerful like that, this can't be sanctioned by a guild. They would've attacked in a team or at least a pair. Then again with all due respect sir, you get what you pay for. Most of these guards are poor bastards or thrill seekers with an ego to match." He went on.

Nick could tell that his boss was not happy and growing angrier by the minute. He was starting to debate whether or not he should turn in a resignation letter to the man. The danger was starting to outweigh the nice, comfortable lifestyle. He was used to running, so it was no loss to him in the end. More of a mild annoyance than anything else, he decided. The world was big; he could disappear into it easily. Nonetheless he decided it might be a good idea to give his boss something useful.

"In all likelihood the attacker had an objective other than your operations, sir. For starters, he did a sloppy job if he was coming after what you have here. We have witnesses who can describe him. He may have a head start but if we track him fast, then we can deal with him." Nick explained. Fargoue stroked his hair back a few times and looked at his right-hand man.

"Do you think he'll tell the authorities?" He asked.

"It doesn't matter at this point, sir. The best we can do is make him regret what he did."

The businessman stroked his chin in thought.

"If we fall, he comes down with us…" He mused aloud. He looked around again and drew in a breath.

"…If that's the case, I want to target Mumfred directly. Even if it is him, I'm fast losing my chances to topple him. The more we can bring down with us the merrier, right?" Fargoue decided; Nick nodded in agreement.

"Pending we fall, yes."

There was a long pause before Fargoue said anything.

"You're suggesting we run, Nick? That's…unlike you, I must admit." He commented. Nick kept his face an impassive mask.

"I'm no Gorman but I know when to fight and when to cut my losses in the interest of not being hung. Word of this gets out, or rather the longer it gets out, we're going to get a lot of heat." He explained.

Fargoue nodded but was interrupted by a guard. Nick stayed silent and watched as the man was told that all the survivors, about fifteen in all, had been accounted for. Nick, in the meantime, pondered their suspect. He'd been described as seething with cold rage, dressed in blue, wielding a thin sword, moving at an inhuman speed, employing some kind of lightning magic and constantly shouting one word. The pronunciations were mixed, but Nick had come to conclude it was someone's name. Nick looked at a building, which had the scars of what he guessed was that magic.

"A wooden nickel for your thoughts, Nick?"

The man looked back at his boss and nodded.

"Back in the Confederation we sometimes had these wanderin types like myself, but they weren't the mean type. Wanderin sheriffs, almost…called themselves "Lightning Swordsman". I can't say for sure but this guy kinda sounds like one." He spoke up.

"So he saw something that breaks the law and took it upon himself to change that, then?"

"Probably…the fact that he kept shouting one word means he was likely looking for something."

"Do you think he found it?" Can't say, but this narrows things. His lot is usually pretty easy to spot and from what I've got they're less a far-reaching organization and more a club."

Nick shrugged at the end of his explanation, to which Fargoue nodded in satisfaction.

"Then the ball's in your court…also, we're going to have to assume a more discrete posture after this." Fargoue said.

"What'll that entail, sir?" Nick asked. The answer was quick.

"For now you're on your own, Nick. Wait for me to contact you; not the other way around."

"Alright then…"

The two went their separate ways when they left the camp. Nick had to wonder what Fargoue would do to hide. He'd never seen the man as the type to survive outside his cushy estates and his running water. He quickly forgot about that as he went further into the woods. He had bigger fish to find and fry. First though, he had to find the fish…

"A mission without you?" Sera asked. Connie nodded.

"Come on you two, you're datin now! Yah shouldn't have me hanging around all the time." He reasoned.

"I would've thought you would enjoy time with your best friends and teammates, Connie." Kyousuke pointed out.

"Hey hey a man needs some alone time every now and again." Connie said, still smiling happily.

"That's true." Kyousuke nodded.

"Kyousuke's still got a point, Connie. Unless you have something else going on?" Gitana asked, stressing the latter half of the sentence. He cocked a brow at her.

"Jewel for your thoughts, my friend?" He asked with a frown.

"I would say now that we've gotten the ship to sail, perhaps you should tend to yours." Gitana replied in a somewhat motherly tone.

"Ship? I had no idea you all enjoyed such a hobby." Kyousuke interjected.

"It's a metaphor about us, Kyousuke." Sera explained.

"Oh…I see. So then Connie is seeking a serious relationship as well?"

Sera blushed at the implication they were in a serious relationship; Gitana was quick to help.

"Now now Kyousuke, even after a few weeks it's a little early to be talking about it like that." She said. Kyousuke nodded slowly.

"I don't mind!" She insisted quickly. The rest of the table looked her way.

"You know she doesn't!" Cana added from the bar. Their gazes shifted to her.

"Well then maybe we should follow their example." The Steel Make Mage winked. Cana rolled her eyes and stood up.

"Okay Connor Logan, you see this ass?" She asked, pointing at her backside.

"Cana Alberona, I see it every day and it is the finest posterior a woman could have." Connie replied with a chuckle. She glared daggers at him.

"Well good, cause that's all you're gonna get. All the Jewel you have couldn't BUY this ass. Not even a single feel. Maybe you could buy a feel of Lucy's…"

"Hey!" The blonde objected with a red face. Cana held up a hand.

"Okay not Lucy's. Maybe some cheap stripper's ass, but not mine!" She said, correcting herself.

"Perhaps it's time to move on, Connie." Kyousuke suggested in a low voice.

"I'm working on it!" He shouted in protest. There was a long moment of silence until Connie finally flopped down on the table. Gitana's face became sympathetic as she patted him on the back.

"Oh who the fuck am I kiddin?" Connie asked aloud.

His teammates exchanged glances, and Kyousuke stood up.

"Perhaps we should give you some space, Connie." He concluded, holding out a hand for Sera to take.

The bookworm shyly accepted it and followed Kyousuke. As they walked, she gently intertwined her fingers with his. He looked down and smiled.

"This feels nice…I must confess." He added with a light blush.

"It does." Sera agreed.

The job board had just gotten a new wave of requests and guild members were practically grabbing ones at random as the initial rush was at its apex. The two stopped short of the small frenzy.

"Well with two people we unfortunately can't take on the more difficult jobs." Kyousuke mused aloud.

"Well we can't see what we can and can't take just by standing here." Sera added.

She walked towards the board, weaving through the crowd with her usual and constant use of "excuse me" and "pardon" as she tried to avoid getting squished. She stumbled the final step and straightened up, scrutinizing the board as she regained her balance. It was the usual load of escorts, searching, saving and hunting. Maybe they could go on another hunt for some robbers or liberate another town. Those kinds of things seemed to have become their forte. _Get something where you two would be alone for a while~_ Her inner voice giggled. Sera flashed the smallest of grimaces at the rouge thought and looked towards the top. Her eyes spotted something titled "Need help ensuring safety of historic artifact" with a picture of a statue.

Like a cat spotting a mouse, her eyes widened and she quickly removed the piece of paper from the board and read over it twice to make sure her fhunch was right. Someone wanted them to help in protecting an old statute from being stolen,

"…It is important to the tribe that used to live in the lands it was located and we wish to prevent it from being stolen and sold to those who may wish to mistreat it or may not understand its significance to the descendants of this tribe…" She mumbled to herself.

It was perfect, though! _I could show him my interest in archeology and history!_ She thought. Sera hurried back to Kyousuke with a bright look on her face and held out the job offer. Kyousuke read the details, and then nodded.

"I see; so you believe we should take this?" He asked.

"Yes; this kind of thing is my specialty. Even before Connie and I teamed up!" Sera nodded eagerly.

"Well then, why hesitate?" Kyousuke pointed out. Stars seemed to appear in his girlfriend's eyes.

"Yes, then onwards we go!" She declared, dramatically pointing a finger towards the guild hall's door.

Gitana watched with quiet satisfaction as Sera grabbed Kyousuke's hand and hurried him out of the guild, likely towards the train station. As she'd thought, they were taking it slow, but Kyousuke was probably the most compatible boy for her. She looked at Connie, who was still sulking over his mug of alcohol, and patted him on the back again.

"Okay okay Mr. I Just Want to be Loved, how about I read you your fortune?" She said. Connie made a few pensive faces before he nodded.

"Why not? Let's see what the fates and all that have to say, huh?" He decided. Gitana nodded and pulled up her bag.

"Okay, but as a disclaimer know that my readings aren't as good as Cana's. She's got magic on her side; I don't." She replied in a "mind you" sort of way as she pulled out her deck and shuffled it.

"At this point I'm just hoping for the smallest bit of good." He shrugged.

"Then let's hope fortune smiles upon you…what is it you want to know?"

"Will I get laid?"

"…Connie."

"Okay fine fine, sheesh. Tough crowd…will I find a serious relationship?"

Gitana but a single card down on the table and explained that it was a representation of Connie. The "significator card", she explained. She then arranged five more cards in a vaguely star-shaped pattern around "him", all of them face down. She then turned over the one in the middle, which Connie noted was called "Strength". He cocked a brow.

"Oh, how fitting." He remarked with mock surprise. _Tis a lot more complicated than that, sweetie_ Gitana thought.

Next came the bottom left card, which she explained was his present situation. It was upside down from their perspective, but Connie was able to read it as "The Hermit".

"And that means…" He asked.

"Loneliness." Gitana replied with a straight face. Connie opened his mouth to retort, but said nothing in the end.

"Alright, fair enough." He conceded.

Next came the lower right, representing what Connie wanted. Gitana explained that it meant Connie wanted unified love. After that she flipped over the upper left to reveal hidden factors that Connie might not have given much thought. In this case it was the fact that Connie would probably have to wait a little while. It wasn't the best thing he'd heard, but he guessed if nothing else it meant that he would inevitably meet someone…maybe. His obstacle, revealed by the next card, told him he was overthinking things. Connie frowned at the timing of that one…there was some hope, though. The Ten of Cups as it was called, told him that eventually he would find the woman he desired and that would lead to a happy family and marriage.

"That…sounds really nice." He admitted.

As he was nodding, Connie noted the entrance of a stranger. The person, a mustachioed man dressed more like a butler than anything else, walked straight to a curious-faced Mirajane. Connie held up a finger to politely interrupt Gitana and leaned back to better hear what might be happening.

"Welcome to the Fairy Tail guild, how can I help you?" Mirajane asked in her ever-pleasant voice.

"I seek a man in a blue robe; He asked to meet me here." The stranger said in a stoic, almost robotic tone.

Connie's face tightened; Kyousuke had never mentioned that and he wouldn't go out on a job before he was supposed to meet someone. His own issues started to take a backseat as he pondered what someone might want with his friend. He stood up and cleared his throat as Mira was in the middle explaining that Kyousuke had left. While he appreciated her more neutral, cannot confirm or deny way, Connie was suspicious. Something just seemed off about a man randomly popping up and asking for Kyousuke, especially a man who was almost as big as Connie himself. His wildest days had told him that when someone like that came looking for you, it wasn't good. The stranger turned around and faced the mage as he approached.

"You mean Swordboy? The little prick's off on business." Connie spoke up. Instinct told him to pretend that the guy was after him for less-than-good reasons. Acting like Kyousuke's friend wouldn't help.

"Odd, he promised we would meet here around the time…Where did he go?" the other man asked.

"Can't say, not exactly fond of the mopey lil prude. Think he said something about the train station." Connie went on.

"Ah…well then I shall return later if I don't find him there. If he comes back then I will see him then."

"Sure thing, sure thing."

As the man left, Connie took a fighting stance and drew in a breath.

"Steel Make, Steel Fists!" He shouted.

The stranger turned as he heard Connie shout and was met by a right hook to the face. He stumbled back but maintained his footing.

"Alright boy-o, what yah want with Kyousuke?" Connie asked. His opponent cocked a brow.

"So that's his name…now you're suddenly his friend?"

"I was always his friend, numbnuts. I just lied to see if yah would make a slip. A tight-lipped one, yah are."

"Very well…"

"I will rephrase my question: tell me where this Kyousuke is."

The man pulled off his overcoat tie, making himself look more like and old-timey boxer now.

"Kick my ass hard enough and maybe I'll tell…I win, then you tell me what yah want, get me?" Connie said with a grin. The other man scoffed.

"Why would I so that?" He asked.

"Aww what's the matter, someone scared they might get hurt cause they're opponent isn't a lil stick?" Connie asked mockingly. The man's face twitched in annoyance.

"Come on boy-o, I gotta go deal with your wife after this. Ain't got all day yah pussy. Try runnin and I'll beat yah twice as hard." The Fairy Tail mage went on. The man frowned and raised his fists.

"Just know it was Sterling McMann who out you in your place."

"Connor Logan doesn't have a place."

The two charged; Sterling shouted "The Sloth of Jupiter" and suddenly Connie felt the air around him growing heavy. He moved to block Sterling's first blow but the man was moving too fast now. Connie fell back and suddenly he was moving at normal speed again. He hurried to his feet again as Sterling came in.

"Mars's Right Hook!" He declared. Connie meet the man's fist with his and snarled as he felt the two meet.

"Steel Make: Pole!" He declared. The item formed in his other hand and came around.

"Jupiter's Sloth!" Sterling declared.

Connie let the pole go but kept his fist pressed against Sterling's. The man pushed back and was forced to relinquish his grip on the gravity around Connie. As he came back Connie traded a block for a strike. He sent Sterling back before following up with as many punches he could lay down. He had to keep him from using his magic. He aimed for his face, opting to use his bare fists. Sterling fell over, bloodied but now down.

"Jupiter's Sloth!" He declared.

Connie gritted his teeth again as he felt heavy. Sterling got to his feet and raised his fists.

"A worthy opponent, but you're little more than some barfly. Learn some technique!" Sterling spat.

"Tough talk for a man who cheats." Connie tried; Sterling was unfazed.  
"I'm already going to beat you unconscious; throw all the insults you want." He replied as he drew back his fist again. Connie felt the gravity change as his opponent declared "Devil's Bloody Fist" and came at him.

"Steel Make: Shield!" Connie declared.

Sterling shouted in anger and pulled his fist back. Connie tossed aside the shield as it shatter and came forward with his own fists encased in steel again. Sterling brought up his free fist and met Connie's face as Connie's fist met his. The two pushed away from each other. Connie ignored the pain and came at the man again. Sterling blocked the attack and brought his foot against Connie's eft shin. Connie snarled out a few words and blindly kicked. Sterling grunted as the blow went between his legs. Sterling let out an angered snarl and stumbled back.

"How's that for a barfly, Handlebar?" He asked. Sterling laughed.

"Running out of quips?" He wheezed. Connie lunged at him and slugged the man in the stomach.

"Yeah, but not out of punches." Connie retorted.

Sterling came towards him with a fist cocked; Connie called out another pole and brought it against Sterling's ribs as soon as he realized the man had forgotten to slow him. Sterling fell to the side and rolled onto his back in pain. Connie stepped on his opponent's chest and glared down at him.

"Now I will rephrase my question: The fuck do you want with Kyousuke?"

"Not me that wants something from him." Sterling replied with a cheeky grin.

Connie, disgusted at the answer, kicked the man in the face and let him slip into unconsciousness. He turned around to see a large part of the guild watching. The mage frowned and extended his arms.

"Why didn't any of you help me?" He asked. Lucy offered the first explanation.

"Connie, let's be honest: you would've kicked our asses for butting in too." She said. He leveled a finger at her.

"That…okay yeah that's true." Connie agreed. Gitana nodded as she walked up and looked down at the man.

"So what was all that about?" She asked. Her friend put his hands on his hips and turned back towards Sterling.

"Seems Kyousuke's attracted a friend." Connie replied, spitting away some of the blood in his mouth.


	17. Chp 17: No Code, No Honor, No Remorse

_Chp. 17: No Code, No Honor, No Remorse_

 _Fiore Railways Train #87_

The excitement over their mission was soon mixed with anxiety over a mission alone with her boyfriend. Wait, was it too early to call him that? Sera reached up and pulled down the top of the window to let some air in. Besides her own frantic thoughts, she felt a little claustrophobic. The train car felt much more cramped than it usually was when Kyousuke sat next to her. Part of her wanted to embrace it and maybe bring him a little closer. Ask him to wrap his arm around her or something. At a basic level she wanted to display that he was her man and that others were to back off. _Yes Sera, because women are pressing themselves onto him all the time…_ She thought. Gitana's words had come back and Sera found herself saying "screw that" to them.

Kyousuke was feeling very much the same way. He tried to distract himself but being this close to her was unnerving. Standing was a very different thing, holding hands were different. More than anything he justified the latter by telling itself it was to counter her occasional bouts of clumsiness. When they were standing it wasn't this close. He started looking for a chance to maybe interlock their arms; perhaps he could bring her closer. Primordial instincts, he thought with an internal chuckle. Grunting and groaning like he was an ancient tribal over how she was his woman and he was her man. He slowly lifted his hand and guided it towards her arm. She glanced his way and looked up at him, which caused him to withdraw it. Sera sighed and reached over to tug it back towards her.

"Are you okay, Sera?" He asked, noting her flustered expression.

"Yes, yes it's fine. We've been dating long enough to hold hands in public and we're already close to one-another on this seat…" She muttered, growing impatient with the shyness for a minute.

"Oh, I'm Sorry Sera. I didn't mean to make it cramped." Kyousuke commented.

"Let's embrace it, then…that sounded horrible." Sera replied, and then sighed. After another minute, Kyousuke had to chuckle.

"Well at least you recognized it quickly." He snickered. She grumbled over how she'd still said it while Kyousuke smiled and looked down at her.

"We all have our moments." He reminded her. There was a pause before Sera gave him a cheeky grin.

"True, considering who it's coming from." The bookworm pointed out. Now it was Kyousuke's turn to be mildly offended.

"I'm learning!" He insisted. She giggled and patted his head.

"You are, you are but it's still very cute of you, Kyousuke." She said, ruffling his hair with a free hand. He frowned.

"Please do not ruffle my hair." He said. Her face grew more cat-like.

"Someone doesn't like "the mane" being disturbed, don't they?" Sera sang.

"I do not."

"Okay okay just another minute, Mr. Grumpypants."

She let him free and he pouted a little longer, trying to think of a way to get even. He looked down at her, thought another minute, and then a lightbulb seemed to light off somewhere above his head. Kyousuke leaned down towards her nearest ear and smirked. Sera turned just in time to see his face and felt a look of concern overtake her expression.

"I have the burning need to tell you that you are an incredibly beautiful woman, Sera." He said in a low voice. Her face turned a soft pink.

"H-hey! Gitana said we're too young to be doing this!" She protested.

"We've held hands and kissed on the first date. Forgive me for feeling that invalidates her advice, even just a little."

Sera mockingly repeated his words before looking away while Kyousuke smiled.

"I shall stop, I shall stop." He assured Kyousuke looked away while Sera reached out with a single finger and poked his arm a few times.

"I changed my mind, Kyousuke, so say it again." She demanded softly.

Kyousuke blushed and smiled happily. When he opened his eyes he spotted someone passing by them. The first thing his eyes noted was their robe, which had a similar design to his. On the back, though, was a symbol he'd seen many times. It was the symbol of his school of learning, of the Lightning Swordsman. Sera had also noticed, and felt her own excitement building over seeing another member of the school. Kyousuke stood up, excited to see another person dressed like him. He looked over at Sera, who smiled at his sudden movement.

"Go talk to them." She said. Kyousuke held out a hand.

"Why not the both of us?" He suggested. Sera nodded immediately.

The two followed the unnamed swordsman as they went into the car forward of theirs. Kyousuke called to them but the person ignored the two. After a second time they called, Kyousuke started to grow impatient. He put more purpose into his steps as the approached the dining car. The other swordsman pulled open the door and went inside; Kyousuke was a few steps behind them with Sera hurrying to keep up. As they entered, a waiter approached the swordsman to offer them a table but was pushed aside. Kyousuke's eyes widen as his counterpart drew their sword and approached another man who seemed to be standing up to stop them. As he seemed to take a stance to employ some kind of magic, the swordsman countered with their sword. Electricity crackled along the blade as the blow was delivered. By now Kyousuke was drawing his own blade.

"Halt!" Kyousuke shouted.

The other swordsman had been a few seconds away from attacking an older man sitting at one of the tables. They turned around to reveal themselves as a she and met Kyousuke's blade with hers. Her conical hat was pushed off, revealing a short, spiky cut, thin face and red lips. Her barely surprised expression hardened into an annoyed grimace before she pushed back and used that to put some space between them. Her eyes appraised his appearance a minute, then she seemed to understand something.

"Well well well, another one of my school. I was wondering why someone was yelling at me." She observed.

She noted Sera as she burst in and tried to get a handle on what was happened. Sera looked around and recognized Alfred Mumfred. The man nodded at her gaze before he hurried him and his wife away. The swordswoman noted their movement and turned. Kyousuke pressed forward and stopped her again so she could block his attack. Again Kyousuke's attack was pushed back and the two became locked in something of a standoff. Sera stayed at the far end of the dining car to keep their exit to her back covered.

"Am I to assume that your mission was to kill that man?" Kyousuke spoke up. His opponent smiled.

"Why else would I attack him? Even I have standards despite parting ways with the code." She replied. Kyousuke felt his blood boiling, but held tightly onto his temper. _Match her calm_ he told himself.

"I see I cannot move on without first beating you…Shall we ignore the formalities?"

"No."

"Well well well, dedicated to the school's ways aren't we?

"I intend to end you for this; you've violated the code."

Her lips contorted into a smile.

"I must say it's been a while since I've done this…very well, then."

In what would've been a bizarre twist for most other fights, the two sheathed their weapons and bowed to one another. They exchanged names, Kyousuke Ishuu and Koharu Kabane, before they resumed their fight. Both drew their swords and tapped into their respective powers.

"Sera, get out of her! Lightning Agility!" Kyousuke declared, speaking as fast as he could.

Kyousuke wanted to get out of this train car, immediately. The space was confined and he had no room to maneuver. He maneuvered around her with the intent of getting behind her, but she intercepted him. He found himself almost trapped between two of the dining tables and forced a way out, pushing Koharu back with his advance. She seemed to be a bit less at odds with her environment.

In the meantime, Sera had staunchly refused to leave. Kyousuke being in a fight was already ground for concern as a teammate, but as her boyfriend. He was also in a confined space, which had quickly showcased itself as the last place he wanted to be. She looked round for something to use of exploit with her magic. Something to help him get more space so he could effectively fight back. Instead, her eyes fell upon the car's emergency brake handle. Thinking on her feet, she grabbed the handle and pulled it into the "engaged" position. An alarm bell rapidly rang and the train lurched, almost violently, as it slowed to a stop. The two swordsman, caught off guard, wobbled a little. Kyousuke took the chance to note some kind of opening.

"Kyousuke!" Sera yelled.

He didn't look back, but kept his ears tuned. Sera looked up and grimaced; she didn't want to be like Natsu, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

"Solid Script, Rust!" Sera called, aiming her attack upwards.

The roof of the train disappeared in a grainy cloud of reddish-brown dust. Sera hurried back and called it out to Kyousuke, who used his agility to get out of the train car, Koharu in pursuit. Kyousuke leapt to the next car and turned to meet the would-be assassin.

"Well well well you are quite skilled, my counterpart." She observed.

"Do NOT call me a counterpart." He hissed.

Koharu, seemingly satisfied to have ruffled him that way, pushed back and then came at him again. Kyousuke maneuvered rather than blocked and delivered a glancing blow near her hands. Her sword shook, but she weaved with the attack and spun so her back wasn't towards him when they moved away from one another. Kyousuke immediately went for her again and applied his magic's element this time. Koharu grunted but showed little more than a tightened grin. To her, it'd tickled more than anything. Kyousuke turned, breathing heavily, and then pulled off his robe, tossing it back towards the hole. Sera nearly tripped as it landed upon her, then pulled it off and recognized it. The young woman donned it for the time being to keep her hands free. Up top, Koharu only cocked a brow before she came at him again.

"I will not allow my robe to be stained by your traitorous blood." Kyousuke declared as he blocked her attack.

"Your navel gazing is little more than boring. Don't waste my time with that filth about "codes" and whatnot." She replied.

The woman waved a hand across her blade, wrapping it in a sheath of electricity. She charged again and Ryu blocked it. Suddenly he felt a surge which then turned to a burn pain. The swordsman screamed and tumbled back, nearly falling into the train car. As he got to his feet he pushed forward.

"Well well well, seems I may have found a little weakness." She observed.

Kyousuke knew what she'd done, and turned his blade into the same state as hers. The two met, electricity crackling and snapping as they clashed again and again with little more than stalemate. A scratch here or a quick shock there. Down below, Sera was trying to find a way to help. Her problem was that she and Kyousuke couldn't see one another. She couldn't distinguish the noises either. As she moved down the cars, it also became apparent she needed to get people away from what was happening. Sera simply started shouting "Everyone follow me! Exit at the nearest door!" as she ran. She finally stopped and started directing people out as they overcame confusion and started moving. From behind, a stocky train employee pulled open the door.

"There's a fight up ahead. One of my guildmates is keeping an assassin of some kind at bay. You need to get these people far, far way and soon." Sera replied before the man could even ask what was going on.

The employee stared at her, blank-faced for a moment, before Sera's scowled grew ever more fierce. He then nodded and hurried to a phone for the train's intercom system. With this now in his hands. Sera rushed to a ladder on the car before her and clambered up it. She drew her pen and cleared her throat as she then ran down the cars back towards the fight. In her mind she played what she was going to say over and over again. Speed was the key here, speed combined with the right sequence. Hoping one last time this would work, she slowed herself and stared towards Kyousuke. He noted her, and Sera went into action.

"Solid Script, Water!" She called.

Koharu turned in time to see a large personification of the word made out of what it was impact her. She came through it in a burst of light, visibly singed on the other end, and started towards Sera.

"Solid Script, Steel!" Sera went on, undaunted.

Kyousuke charged forth as the woman maneuvered against the next word. The woman had spun around to the right of the incoming spell, but was unable to catch Kyousuke before he delivered a solid slash against her left forearm. As she let out an animalistic snarl behind clenched teeth, the woman fell away and bounced off the roof of the train. Kyousuke leapt after her.

"Lightning Wave!" He declared.

He impacted the ground as she rose and kept her from lunging at him with the wave of lightning. With her clothes now plenty wet, the electricity was becoming less a tool and more a determinant. Kyousuke expected her to store it away, but instead she started getting to her feet. Unsure of what was going on, he assumed a defensive stance.

"Well well well, thought a little water would stop me? You should know something, my counterpart: pain fuels killer instinct." She said with the briefest flash of a smile.

Kyousuke charged, bracing himself for whatever she might've had at the ready. Their swords met again; Kyousuke put everything he had into it. He pushed her back a little and applied his electricity again. Koharu tensed but remained calm, which only enraged him more. Inside he screamed. How dare this woman take the gift she'd been given and use it to murder! How dare she revel in the thought of pain and death! How dare she carry herself as a member of this art and violate its rules! The oath she'd taken.

"Suffer you demon!" He cried as he brought down his next blow.

Finally the sheer amount of punishment, degree varying, broke. She cried out as he slashed her hand and sent her rolling to the left, further away from the train. Kyousuke made haste towards her and glared down at her, barely able to keep the rage from the surface. She sneered at him.

"Well well well my counterpart, are we upset? Do we feel that pain and what it fuels?" She asked.

"Quiet!" He interrupted.

"It's invigorating, isn't it?"

"Enough of your mind games, Koharu."

Kyousuke raised his weapon and glared down at her. Her own blade was behind him; she gathered what little magical energy she had and zipped towards it. Kyousuke turned around and applied the same move. He brought the tip of his blade down into her hand as she started to curl her fingers around the handle.

"It's over." Kyousuke declared as he pulled the blade out and started to raise it, holding it downwards with the handle above his head.

Koharu rolled onto her back to accept whatever he was going to do, and she started to recognize it. Kyousuke didn't care if she did because he knew she'd know what he was going to do. It was the last thing any person who was trained to be a Lightning Swordsman was trained, when they proved they could reach the first step in growing beyond their teacher's lessons. Kyousuke decided it would be a fitting end for her. This woman wasn't going to get a clean beheading like the coward who'd killed Saeko. That was punishment for a heinous crime while, this was a sin like few others. Kyousuke wasn't going to let this stand; Koharu recognized what he was going to do and started silently mouthing the words that he called aloud.

"Gather, Divine Storms! Cleanse our lands of those who desire our suffering! Scatter them against the cliffs and roar!"

Sera watched with growing awe and uncertainty as a glowing blue firmed around Kyousuke's sword, smoother and more uniform than the usual veil of lightning it could be wrapped in. clouds above darkened and seemed to gather at an unnatural speed.

"Divination, Raiden's Judgement!" Kyousuke declared.

He struck down, and a single bolt of lightning came downwards, channeled through him, and then into the body of Koharu Kabane. Her "killer instinct" was quickly surpassed by mortal pain…

* * *

"Excuse me, sir?"

Kyousuke looked up towards Royal Army soldier. The man turned and held a hand towards who Kyousuke recognized as Koharu's target. Sera had mentioned his name earlier, after the fight: Mumfred.

"This gentleman wished to speak with you." The soldier explained.

"I wanted to thank you for saving me, young man. And the young miss, too." Mumfred nodded, looking at Sera.

"Think nothing of it, sir; it was simply me doing what I have sworn to do." Kyousuke replied with a polite bow.

"It also just the Fairy Tail way, Mr. Mumfred." Sera added, saying the phrase a little like a jingle.

"Well either way you have my sincerest gratitude. I consider myself in debt to you both." Mumfred said with a dip of his head. He reached into his overcoat's pocket and flicked a card from his hand.

"Should you need to claim that debt on a later date…" He explained. Sera accepted the item and nodded. She then adopted an unsure look for a minute, before she decided it was a fair trade she had in mind.

"If it's not too much trouble, Mr. Mumfred, may I ask who your attacker was and why?" She said.

"I don't know who…but I may have an idea who sent them and why…"

Mumfred looked back towards the front of the train, then at the two mages again.

"…When my transportation arrives, come along. I'll share what I know, or rather what I can guess, on the way to town." He said.

The two extended their thanks before the older man wandered off. Kyousuke adjusted his robe and nodded to himself in satisfaction.

"I think it's prudent we find out who hired one of my kind and how." Kyousuke frowned. Sera hugged him from behind.

"In due time, in due time Kyousuke." She said. He looked back at her while she nuzzled her face against his back.

"I'm glad you're okay." She said. He smiled softly.

"Thank you for your help, Sera." He replied.

"I'm allowed to be worried, even if we both know that you know what you're doing. Plus, we're a team."

"Ah, so I have reached that stage?"

"You were at it a long time; as my friend and now as my boyfriend."

Kyousuke blushed and looked away. He grinned and stayed quiet for a minute and then took one of her hands. Gitana was right in a way; it was a bit early to say things that were too amorous. At the same time, though, the temptation was still too big. Kyousuke kissed her hand gently and smirked.

"As you wish, my Lady Seraphim." He said softly. Her face felt warm against his back.


	18. Chp 18: Name and a Face

_Chp. 18: Name and a Face_

 _Sun River Valley, Fiore_

"Still thinking about what Mr. Mumfred told us?"

Kyousuke looked Sera's way and nodded. He crossed his arms over his chest and drew in a breath.

"It makes the motivations for the raid on my former place of employment all the more clear. Saeko's father was a wealthy man and a land owner. If this Fargoue is interested in asserting himself as the predominant businessman or whatever you might call him, he has to get rid of his competitors." The young man mused aloud.

Kyousuke felt like he was being let in on this very, very late in the game. He'd only just found out who was behind things today, and only a few weeks ago had he gotten any suspicion that there was more to Saeko's kidnapping than a random raid by some slavers or criminals. He'd long wondered what the reasons were for the events that'd set him on his journey, but most of his time had since been spent trying to survive and finding Saeko before he found out why. The fight with Koharu had made it even more imperative he do something about this if Fargoue's plans weren't already in tatters. Were they? He had apparently only seen such a small part of them. According to Mumfred, though, the man had seemingly vanished as of late. The swordsman shook his head and looked at Sera, who appeared equally as troubled by this.

"What do you think we should do about this?" Sera asked. Kyousuke sighed softly and looked down the path they'd been travelling along for the last hour or so.

"For now we have a job and, being upstanding people of our word, we'll complete it." He declared. A soft smile spread across his face.

"Besides you were very excited about doing this, yes?" He asked. Sera nodded slightly and poked her fingers together a few times.

"I like history…" She mumbled.

"Then I am excited as well, and I look forward to fighting alongside my Lady Sera." He replied.

Sera hid her face and quickly hurried on. Kyousuke smiled and followed her. He'd found that using that title was the quickest way to flatter her, and the reaction was fun.

"I like calling you that, Sera." He explained as he caught up.

"You're not supposed to be the suave, flirty type though!" She protested.

"I don't see how that constitutes me being the "suave, flirty type", though."

Sera frowned and moved on.

"Then I'm gonna find something to call you, like "Kyou-Kyou" or something." She muttered. He didn't hear her.

They walked along the path until the trees started to scatter and break the generally-defined borders they had been along when the path was straighter and more defined. The path itself hooked to the right, but according to Sera's deduction and her map and compass, they wanted to follow the less maintained route. Sera drew up a machete in case they needed to get through any of the thickening foliage. Kyousuke drew his own weapon in anticipation of some kind of threat. He noted signs of manmade objects in the form of markers of sorts. Each was nothing more than a short stone cylinder marking the path, but it was a sign they were getting close. Sera looked towards one and stopped. She held up her machete when Kyousuke gave her a questioning look.

"If it's okay with you, Kyousuke, I'd like to examine a few of these." She remarked. He glanced around, and then nodded.

"Please be quick. Much like the train, this kind of environment has a habit of limiting my strengths." He replied.

Sera nodded in understanding and knelt down next to one of the cylinders. She slipped off her bag and examined the cylinder before she even touched it. She also pulled out a pair of gloves and gently felt the device to see how sound it was. Instincts to her it was unlikely a trap; there were no structures nearby or any practical means of laying a trap. She then carefully cut away the foliage that'd encroached on it and found there were markings. They looked vaguely familiar but she needed to make sure. She set aside her things and hefted a worn notebook from the bag. Kyousuke, who had his back to her as a defensive measure, looked over his shoulder. He hesitated at first, but then softly cleared his throat.

"Yes, Kyousuke?" Sera asked.

"So these people we're helping…do you know much about them?" He asked. Sera didn't look at him at first; she was trying to decipher the writing on the top of the cylinder.

"That's what I'm trying to find out…They didn't specify who they were in the job request." The young woman assured. She paused for a minute to compare some scribbles with the writing on the cylinder.

"This is kind of hasty, but this writing is leading me to believe that they're affiliated, in some way, with The Daughters of the Sun River." She said.

"I can't say I've ever heard of that group." Kyousuke replied.

"Amazonian warrior tribe."

"Amazonian? As in those all-female tribes of warriors?"

"The same."

"Interesting, and reassuring…I think. They were never one for the dark arts, correct?"

"Well every group has its bad apples, but as a whole no. These markings don't look like much more than a prayer being recited over and over. Asking for a warm welcome to whoever comes here and protection from those who come here with ill intent."

"Hopefully we're going to get the warm welcome." Kyousuke remarked tensely. Sera gave him a comforting smile.

"If we're retrieving something that's theirs at their behest, then we have nothing to fear." She insisted.

The two pushed onwards towards a clearing of sorts. The local plant life had been reclaiming space over time but the stone structures of the location were still standing and many weren't completely covered. Sera's eyes lit up at the sight. She had to keep herself from running from structure to structure in search of something that was worth studying. Still she could help but hop up and down a few times in excitement.

"An entire complex this is the first time I've ever uncovered something of my own accord I mean we both did it but still think of what we could learn and how happy the Daughters would be to have one of their old sites cleaned up they might even have some things they don't fully understand about this place." She said in one long, breathless stream of words.

Kyousuke smirked in satisfaction at her excitement, but after a second he heard something. Rocks falling, which at first made him wonder if one of the buildings was crumbling, but when he finally spotted some of the rocks he started to realize it wasn't something falling down. Instead pieces of the complex seemed to be forming into humanoid figures. They grew taller and taller, and even before Kyousuke noted their weapons and shields he was readying his sword. He noted that Sera was looking the other way. The swordsman cleared his throat loudly.

"Uhm Sera, while I don't wish to be rude we may want to postpone that excavation for a little while." He said.

"Huh…oh right…well then." Sera said as she turned around.

Their opponents were about twice their height and appeared to be statues. Sera recognized the general armor and garb of the warriors of the tribe that this place belonged to.

"They must be guards of sorts. We may not have evil intentions, but we aren't tribe members…" Sera mused.

"Can we convince them of our intentions?" Kyousuke said with increasing volume as the closest of the three lunged at them.

The two went separate ways, met by the two others. Sera deployed fog to give them some cover since she couldn't run as fast as Kyousuke. He hurried towards the last place he saw her and nearly ran into the pillar she was behind. The golems were now just shadows in the haze, moving around in search of the intruders.

"To answer your question: unlikely. These are probably around with simple purpose of keeping ANYONE who isn't in the tribe out." Sera explained. She grimaced and felt a bit embarrassed. _Maybe we should've met out contact instead of me getting all excited and running off towards adventure_ she thought.

"Well then remind me to apologize to our employers for beating them." Kyousuke said before he hurried forward to meet the challengers.

"We likely won't be able to beat them!" Sera yelled after him, but Kyousuke didn't hear her.

The swordsman but his agility to use and went straight for one of the legs of the nearest golems. He made a strike as he passed, testing the waters by aiming at the knee area, or what would be the equivalent of that. His sword and lighting did little damage, but he was gambling more on the force of the blow. He turned as he passed and saw that the stone figure had lurched a little, but not injured. Unknown to him, another was lumbering through the fog to strike down with its battleax.

"Solid Script, Steel!" Sera called.

Kyousuke turned as the word struck the golem that'd tried to attack from behind and used the chance to retreat back towards Sera. She'd moved to one of the nearby ruins for better cover.

"I barely even scratched it." He growled.

"They're likely controlled by something. Either a person or a relic of sorts. The best we can do is keep em down until they can't pursue us or we find that something." She replied. Kyousuke peeked out as the golems ambled around, once again searching.

"They don't appear to be very…bright." He observed.

"They probably don't have that complex of a doctrine, for lack of better term. Part of it is probably to preserve the buildings."

"We can't stay here forever…we should find the entrance to the center structure."

Kyousuke paused and looked at Sera before he got ahead of himself.

"That is the most likely place we would find what we seek, yes?" He asked. She nodded.

"Very well, then, come on! Before I lose my Lightning Agility!" Kyousuke replied.

Without waiting he grabbed her hand and charged forward. Sera let out a surprised yelp and then closed her eyes as he bounded along as far as he could go. With the fog Kyousuke's vision was a bit less than optimal, but he still figured he could outrun their opponents. Sera protested the best she could the entire way until Kyousuke started to slow. She finally opened her eyes and saw a large archway before them.

"Well?" the swordsman asked over his shoulder. Sera's response was simply to shout "inside" as loudly and as quickly as she could over and over. He hurried in as one of the golems brought down their sword on the spot they'd been just a second ago…

* * *

"What's that look for, Connie?"

"That little shitstarter didn't honor our deal. Man who don't honor a deal is a true bastard."

"Oh come on, you've never pulled something like that?"

"No."

"…Seriously?"

Connie frowned at his friend.

"Gitana, how long have yah know me? Years, now?" He asked. Gitana looked towards the ceiling in thought.

"Wow, it has been that long." She realized.

"And in that entire time, have I ever gone back on a bet? Did I not keep my mouth shut for a whole day, except for the most basic needs, after losing a drinking contest to Cana? Did I not agree to streak across town after losing a card game to the master of the poker face, Gray Fullbuster? Did I not willingly sacrifice my own dignity by wearing a dress so we could complete that one job that we will never mention again?" He replied at length. The man then readopted a stern look and jerked a thumb at himself.

"I may be many, many things. A womanizer, a drinker, a brawler and a smart ass but one thing I do not do is dishonor a bet…and all of that is completely beside the point. That's not what's got me all pissy." He went on. Gitana nodded and took a drink.

"I figured, did you even get the guy's name?" She asked.

"Sterling McMann."

Gitana set down her cup and took a long minute to think. She looked at Yvonne, who cocked a brow.

"Does that name sound familiar to you, Yvonne?" She asked. The archer shook her head.

"Not in the slightest."

"So we've got one guy who apparently sent this guy to get Kyousuke. My only guess is he owned that sweatshop that Kyousuke tore apart." Connie replied.

"Did Kyousuke ever talk about who ran it?" Gitana asked.

"Nah, I don't think the boy ever even found out. He was mighty upset over the loss of his original lady love."

"So then we have someone who's after Kyousuke and neither he nor we know who he is."

"Seems that way, but it doesn't matter. You know Fairy Tail's MO: mess with one of us and the rest will come to back that one up."

"True, but we don't know what kind of power this someone wields."

"Touche, touche…"

Connie's face contorted into a smirk, and then a nervous smile.

"But when has that ever really stopped us?" He asked, half rhetorically and half not.

"Well either way we can't go acting like ourselves unless we figure out who the hell's put a price on Kyousuke's head." Gitana replied calmly.

"Well it's been a few days since they left…Sera and Kyousuke, I mean." Yvonne said. The doors to the guild hall opened.

"Not anymore." Connie said, standing up to greet the aforementioned mages as they came in.

Connie waved them over and noted that the two seemed tired. He cocked a brow and considered ordering them both a drink, but decided that first they should maybe share what had them in such a state.

"Tough job, yah two?" He asked. Sera nodded.

"In a way." She confirmed.

"What was it, anyways? You two just kinda bolted off to parts unknown after Sera's grabbed something from the board."

"I got a bit excited. Another archeological mission."

"Ah, that explains it. So what happened this time? Hostile tribe? Treasure hunters?"

"It was two-fold. The artifact we had to retrieve belonged to the Daughters of the Sun River.

"The place from which we were to retrieve the artifact was guarded by three very large golems, that neither of us could really have much effect on." Kyousuke said with a sarcastic smile. Connie drew back and stared at his friend as if the man had just declared he was Satan.

"DID YOU JUST USE SARCASM?" He asked. The rest of the table gave him a questioning look.

"Considering the amount of time he spends around you…" the three girls pointed out. Kyousuke waved a hand dismissively.

"That's beside the point. On our way we encountered an assassination attempt…by a fellow member of my school, too." He growled.

"Who'd they try to off?" Yvonne asked.

"Alfred Mumfred." Sera answered.

"Normally we would've left it at that, but we may have an interest in this event." Kyousuke pointed out.

"How quaint, because yah had someone looking for you while you were gone. Put up a good fight, too." Connie replied, leaning forward with interest. Kyousuke cocked a brow.

"Who?"

"Some guy named Sterling McMann. Says he was here on behalf of some jerkoff."

Kyousuke thought a minute, and then shook his head.

"That name doesn't sound familiar." He confessed.

"Well that doesn't bode well. Not that it did at any point." Sera noted, feeling a bit protective now that her boyfriend was being looked for by strangers.

"So how do you think there might be something going on, Connie?" Gitana asked.

"Well it's a hunch. What's got yah interested in this attempt on this Mumfred guy?" He replied without looking at her. Sera answered.

"After we saved him, Mr. Mumfred offered to reward us with a ride the rest of the way to town. We also managed to get a meal and an explanation out of him. He suspects it's a guy named Vincent Fargoue. Younger entrepreneur who was trying to push his way into the land management business. He'd pursued a very aggressive strategy of claiming land and buying it, and Mumfred suspects that he's gotten a bit too enamored with his goal. He says Fargoue was good at putting on a mask but he had a huge inferiority complex. Young guy in a world of older men who built their businesses over decades; you can see how it'd be an uphill struggle. Mumfred believes that if anyone would send a professional to kill him, then it's Fargoue."

"Yah keep saying "was" and "had", Sera…" Connie noted.

"Apparently Fargoue's been kind of in the shadows as of late, or something like that. Not a whole lot of people have seen him or heard from him. Before this he was almost constantly trying to negotiate with Mumfred."

"It also turns out he was under investigation for a less-than-legal facility he had, which is why I'm starting to see what you may be on to, Connie." Kyousuke chimed in. His friend cocked a brow.

"The same place yah raided lookin for Saeko?"

"The very same."

Connie apparised his drink for a minute, then mused aloud.

"So it looks like Mr. Fargoue, assuming we're on the right track, is looking to get yah back for screwing up his stuff, and probably try and off Mumfred in the process. Simple, kind of crazy and he's probably blown a gasket…but it's not the craziest thing I've heard, considering the residents of the building we currently reside in." He said, ending with a sigh.

"So what do you intend to do about it?" He asked both Kyousuke and Sera. Kyousuke made an uncertain face, and then shook his head.

"For now? Wait and see if he'll come after me again…and likely see if we can find him."


	19. Chp 19: Gentlemanly Wager

_Chp. 19: Gentlemanly Wager_

 _Magnolia Train Station_

Nicholas Kleary was glad to finally get off the train. His paranoia of being on such a vulnerable method of transportation was quick to dissipate. He kept in the small crowd of people moving into the station and remained calm. Look like you know exactly where you're going, the man reminded himself; don't attract the attention of the station employees or whatever lawman types were hanging around. He stayed in the middle of the crowd and kept pace with the rest of the travelers until the last minute when they began to disperse. After that he kept his pace up and approached a large map of the town in the middle of the curbside square. The guild hall for Fairy Tail was clearly highlighted on the map for all from outside town to see. Nick glanced in its general direction and started off that way.

Part of his brain insisted that he should just turn around and pull out now. He was already a wanted man, and this would be no different than the old days. It's not like Fargoue, who was also on the run and trying to arrange a way out of Fiore, could retaliate against the man. He lacked the needed resources and he was facing a man that was used to running, outwitting and outright killing his pursuers. It'd be no different than the old days. Hell, his conscious argued with a wily smile, it'd recapture some of that old glory. Furthermore there were plenty of reasons to turn around and go home. It was no secret that if you took on one member of Fairy Tail, you took them all on. They guild was adamant about being a family, and no matter how much confidence Nick had in himself he was only one man. He'd heard plenty of the stories because everyone in the country talked about the guilds almost nonstop. Fairy Tail was almost something of a common word…or maybe a common example of profanity.

So why was he doing this? The same reason that he'd gotten so far under his ex-employer: Nick was a man who tied up loose ends. He'd been thinking about doing this since he'd seen Gorman's corpse. Nick couldn't help but gulp at the thought of beheading. He'd been so used to the concept of death by firing squad or the oft-preferred hanging back on the Frontier; beheading seemed…medieval, even if it was quick. It was the concept of the thing, more than any other factor. He shook his head and slowed to the side to make sure he hadn't drifted off into distraction and gone the wrong way. He was next to a newsstand and his eyes caught a glimpse of a familiar face on "The Magnolia Bulletin". It was a picture of the guy that Fargoue was so determined to go after and the guy Nick had come to see.

The headline read "Local Fairy Tail Mages Save Famous Businessman"; Nick knew what the rest of the story was. Now there was even more reason to go to Fairy Tail. Nick hurried on as the newsstand's owner opened his mouth to greet the gunman and ask if he was interested in anything. He slowed when the guild's upper stories came into view over the other buildings and slipped into an alleyway. To make sure he was absolutely ready to do this, he checked what he had on him one last time and eyed his best avenues of escape should something go wrong. No doubt they'd chase him in most cases; it made the gunman start to lean more on this bet succeeding than anything else.

Not particularly interested in pessimism right now, Nick walked down the street again until he reached the gates. He strode in like nothing was wrong and looked around the main chamber of the place. As the doors had opened, eyes swiveled towards him in interest, then a few in suspicion. Nick ignored the gazes and cleared his throat as he approached a table with a handful of people on it.

"Is Kyousuke Ishuu here today?" He asked.

A redhead he recognized as Erza Scarlett stood up. A sword formed in her right hand. Across the table, the infamous Natsu Dragneel also stood up. Nick kept his calm and held up a hand to calm them. His other friend relaxed towards the front opening of his duster.

"The people who're hunting him is the business I have, Miss. I'm not another one of those assassins, however many they've sent." He explained.

"Why should we believe you?" Natsu scowled. Nick's response was quick.

"Because I have something that may help him resolve this situation."

Erza considered him a minute, then pointed at Natsu.

"Go get Kyousuke, I'll keep an eye on him." She announced.

Nick kept still while Natsu walked off towards a table further inside the building where Nick spotted Kyousuke. He noted that Erza took a step closer to him in anticipation of any move he'd make. Nick, equally distrustful, casually let his palm fall open in case they got too jumpy. He turned his head more towards the swordsman as the individual approached, two other in tow. Kyousuke got the closest, hands already positioned to draw his sword and fight.

"Am I to assume that Vincent Fargoue sent you?" He asked. Nick shook his head, then removed his hat and bowed in greeting.

"No, granted I've worked with the man but he has no clue I'm here. I understand he's sent one or two people your way. The name's Nicholas."

Kyousuke did the same despite his cold demeanor.

"Just one, and Ishuu Kyousuke. So then, what's your business with me if you aren't representing your employer's interests?"

"I'm here to see my way out of this little dispute. Fargoue's lost his mind and I'm not dying or going doing with a high-class crybaby because he couldn't get what he wanted. He's my paycheck, not my old man."

"So why come to us?"

"Because I have an interest in my own self-preservation, and that means having an interest in seeing Fargoue stopped."

Kyousuke considered the man for a minute. It was almost too good to be true, and maybe at another time and place Kyousuke might've been so desperate to avenge all the pain that he'd suffered to this point, but now he had reason to doubt. He also had little to lose by saying no; he was happy to make the defense a team effort. Nick was starting to get annoyed with the lack of response. He drew in a breath and kept calm, also noting his exits. Everyone seemed to have an interest in what was going on, if for no other reason than they were all wondering who'd leap on him first. Time to start pushing buttons, the outlaw decided.

"Even a criminal like me has a bigger sense of honor than my employer. More brains, too." Nick said. Kyousuke's eyes seemed to flare at his use of the word "honor", but he ignored them. Obviously they needed more reason to go along with what he had in mind.

"Look you can either have Fargoue now or he can escape the country and keep flinging as many assassins and the like at you until he runs out of resources. You crashed something he's been investing YEARS in. He's mighty pissed and he knows his time is limited. Getting back at you all is something that'll ease the inevitable for him."

"Let him run himself ragged, then. Why should we care if you fall with him? It's your own fault for helping him." Sera replied with a scowl. Nick held fast to his patience. Kyousuke opened his mouth to respond but the man leveled a finger at him.

"I know your code. You and any other Lightning Swordsman are OBLIGATED to keep this kind of man from escaping." He said. Kyousuke began to draw his sword.

"I should cut your tongue out for lecturing me from your position." Kyousuke growled. Nick stood his ground.

"I've robbed people, I've shot people, and I've broken a dozen other small laws but I did it to survive. The Frontier isn't kind, and it's getting worse with guys like Fargoue trying to put their seal on everything. You wanna kill me then go ahead, but where Fargoue is dies with me." He replied, raising his voice.

Kyousuke kept his sword in the same position it'd been, but he considered what the man had said. Fargoue was the bigger offender here, and sure it would be more effective to destroy the head of the monster rather than one of its limbs.

"You want something in return, though." Kyousuke pointed out.

"I'm proposing a wager: a duel. You win, and you get all you need to know." Nick replied, holding up a single finger.

"And if I lose?" Kyousuke asked cautiously.

"Then I go free, and if you're still alive you're still in the dark."

The offer felt a bit dirtier, but was still tempting. His mind was quick to debate it. Kyousuke had gambled before, but for petty things. He and the other guards often gambled food, drink and sometimes shifts over simple games like cards. This wasn't something to gamble over, but this information would prove valuable in stopping Fargoue. Then what should he do? Kyousuke noted the others in the guild tense and ready to fight. Surely if he made it clear, the man would be capture and not killed. Finally, as Nick was growing impatient, Connie stepped forward and cleared his throat.

"Pardon me for asking Kyousuke, but yah never struck me as the betting type." He said. Kyousuke reluctantly nodded.

"Then I'll be the one to make the bet, and Kyousuke will be the one who does the fight. He wins, and you tell me. That work?" The taller of the two said without waiting for his friend to say something.

"Uhm, Connie…" Sera began to point out.

"Fuck the logic, that one dipshit with the moustache already pissed me off with his not honoring our bet."

Nick cocked a brow, then sighed and shook his head.

"Alright fine, now let's get this over with." He declared…

* * *

Sera didn't like this. She didn't like any of it. Kyousuke was doing it again: he was skirting and bending the rules he'd sworn to uphold to get something. The only thing that was keeping her from actively intervening was the fact that Connie was in on it too. The whole guild felt like they were in on it. The worst part of all was she was finding this part of Kyousuke's ways to be distasteful. Per his teachings, one was to pursue evil until it was dealt with. Some would call it a noble venture to make sure that evil wasn't allowed to go free. To her it smelt of revenge and nothing else. It overshadowed what they were trying to build, something that was already hard given their mutual shyness. _You need to stop him_ she thought as she watched the two draw their weapons.

"Lightning Agility!" Kyousuke snarled as he took a fighting stance.

The swordsman didn't waste any time in moving forward, and the man he was fighting didn't waste any time in countering. The gunman drew his weapon in a flash and rapidly fired off six shots, revealing his weapon to be magically enhanced like Bisca and Alzack's. She could see the puffs from bullet impacts as they struck the trees across from her. Kyousuke came around from the left, to which Nick responded by firing at him when he came head on at the swordsman, then darting out of the way. Kyousuke was forced to move to avoid the shot as soon as the revolver was being raised. Kyousuke stopped for a second to turn and pursue Nick. The gunman turned around and fired several times again.

Kyousuke moved back away from his opponent before letting the element of his magic envelope his sword. He came back at Nick again, weaving this time. Nick fired again, hitting close his feet to try and trip him up and then jump on the opening. Kyousuke leapt up at the last second, only to have Nick and sprint forward and dive into a roll. Kyousuke landed and turned s Nick stopped and went into a kneeling position. Kyousuke again moved but stayed close this time to give the other man as little time to react as possible. Sera felt her fingers flex a little to mentally remind herself where her pen was. With each clash it was growing more and more pointless and she was starting to think up her own ways to get information out of this guy.

"Guns Magic: Flash Shot!" He shouted.

Sera closed her eyes and covered them at the call. Nick fired a single round which ended up exploding to Kyousuke's right. It was nonlethal, but the ensuing burst of light covered the detail of the land around them. Kyousuke felt a stinging, burning pain strike his eyes. He covered them and stumbled along, his senses trying to reorganize in the heat of a fight. He was vulnerable now, and he was unable to cover that vulnerability because he couldn't see. He forced himself to spot anything that looks like a human form and lashed out at the first thing he saw. Kyousuke let out a cry of pain as he managed to knock Nick's weapon away just enough to get himself a graze wound across his shoulder. He pushed forward and shoved Nick off balance. The Swordsman moved back to get some maneuvering room and went at him again.

Sera was certain for a moment that Kyousuke had him, which to her was a relief. This dumb bet was about to end and she could go about scolding the living hell out of him, and Connie for encouraging the whole affair. She was nearly caught off guard by another flash shot and ended up getting stunned for a second by the magical move. When she was able to see again she saw the two men stumbling around. Nick was pulling himself to his feet while Kyousuke was aimed in the wrong direction. Protective instincts kicked in and Sera drew her pen in anticipation.

"Kyousuke, turn around! Behind you!" She shouted.

Kyousuke turned, bringing his sword to bear as if Nick were coming at him. Instead the man was getting back on his feet, weapon pointed at his opponent. He was dazed by shooting off a Flash Shot that closed, but not so dazed he couldn't talk.

"Guns Magic: Omnidirectional Expansion!" He called. That was it for Seraphim Chevalie.

"Solid Script: Gust!" She shouted.

The word slammed into Nick as guns started to appear all around Kyousuke, knocking the gunman away along with Kyousuke as the revolvers went off on the spot he'd been in a few seconds ago. Sera started forward as Connie turned to question what she was doing. She didn't give Nick any time to recover, following up the gust with Sold Script Steel. The word plowed into the gunman like a runway cart sending him tumbling. Sera stopped and drew a rapier on the ground before pulling it up and continuing on towards the man. She leveled the sword at him as he started to get up and go for his weapon. Kyousuke, who'd recovered enough to see the scene, stayed put for a second. Sera looked utterly terrifying; far from the girl she usually was.

"I've had enough of this; this is over! Tell Fargoue to screw off or come to Fairy Tail himself. Kyousuke is MINE." She roared.

"Fuckin hell Sera." Connie protested. She pointed at him without looking away from Nick.

"Screw the betting! You aren't using my boyfriend for this shit! Even if he's going along with it!"

Connie flinched to a stop with wide eyes and stopped moving. He shrunk a little and looked around, even though the four of them were the only ones in the area. Nick appraised his situation, but she had the point of the blade so close to him. No one was that fast and to take a chance was a big gamble with a pretty big consequence. He noted Kyousuke standing up, and Sera did too.

"You stay still too, Mister." She warned.

It'd taken a little time, but being so opposed to this had given her an idea of how to circumvent things. Underneath the calm exterior she sensed Nick was a coward in the end. A large part of the bet involved this man's survival. To win he had to be alive so Kyousuke could get his information, and it was implied that he'd slip into the shadows unharmed while Kyousuke went after Fargoue. The whole reason he'd made the trip here in the first place was so that he could save his own skin. If that was put on the line without Kyousuke being injured then to her that was an even better situation. However Nick was more annoyed than anything else right now.

"Keep your nose outta others' business, ya whore." He said, spitting off to the side. As he turned his head back, he noted Kyousuke push himself to his feet and ready his blade. He looked displeased.

"I'll cut your tongue out if you continue to use words like that to address her." He declared. Sera's glare stopped him from getting any closer.

"Now that we're calm and not gonna keep fighting, let's talk about this bet. You want to live, don't you Nick?" The young woman asked. He didn't react; Sera inched the tip of the blade ever closer to the flesh of his neck.

"So then you don't want to live?" She questioned. He scowled but Sera ignored his expression.

"Tell us what we want to know and we'll let you go free. No duels, no endangering my boyfriend. Just tell us and go away." She said. When it took more than a few seconds for her to get an answer, she decided to be more detailed about the consequences of going on with this bet.

"Of course we can always just kill you or better yet kick your ass and haul you off to the local authorities. I'm sure they'll be delighted to have a man who's connected to the individual responsible for running a slave camp and trying to assassinate someone."


	20. Chp 20: Go it Alone

_Chp. 20: Go it Alone_

 _Fairy Tail Guild Hall_

Sera set down a bowl of soup to get Kyousuke's attention, taking a seat next to him with one for herself and scooting close to him. Her boyfriend pushed past his momentary surprise and nodded in gratitude. He ate a mouthful of the meal before he looked at Connie again.

"Now, where were we, Connie?" He asked. His friend nodded.

"If we do have to pursue him that far, then it may be a good idea to ask Bisca and Alzack about that part of the world. They came from it, so they would naturally know the most about it."

"Would they be willing to help? With all due respect, you and Alzack aren't exactly friends and I have no idea how far that feeling extends with Bisca."

"I could ask them if that might be a problem."

Sera drew in a breath and tugged at Kyousuke's sleeve.

"What exactly are you two planning?" She asked calmly.

She knew, but she wanted to hear it from Kyousuke himself. A petty, petty part of herself wanted to hear him confess to it so she could leap on it. Maybe she could shake some sense into him. Her two teammates shifted uncomfortably under her cold gaze before Connie cleared his throat.

"Look Sera, we can put this whole affair to rest once and for all. Kyousuke and I are on the same page about this, so we've gotta do someth-"

"Don't you go encouraging this!" Sera snapped, jabbing a finger at Connie. He flinched and fell silent.

"I'll say it again, Kyousuke: what exactly are you two planning?" She asked, lowering her voice back down but keeping it clear that she wasn't impressed with what was going on. There was an awkward pause before Kyousuke sat as tall as he could.

"Connie and I intend to make him pay for his crimes, plain and simple." He replied. She kept her gaze steady.

"Why? Why does it have to be you?" She said, stressing each iteration of "you".

Kyousuke opened his mouth to say the answer, but hesitated. She knew what he was going to say, and he did too. Sera was the one most familiar with his culture and his code. So why did she want to know when she could easily figure it out herself? Perhaps she was so angry she was forgetting? He worded his answer so as not to accidentally insult her.

"It as is Connie said: we must end this. I am simply carrying out what I've sworn to uphold, Sera." He said. Her response was simple.

"I don't care; you're not doing this."

Kyousuke furrowed his brows at her.

"Pardon me?" He asked.

"This has gone on long enough and I'm putting my foot down. You're not going after Fargoue, Kyousuke. Don't you think this is starting to take up your life?"

"I have spent months of my life trying to find the man responsible for all of this. It HAS been a major part of my life."

Kyousuke could feel his frustration mounting. Suddenly it seemed as if Sera had no clue whatsoever as to how his kind carried themselves. Connie cleared his throat to try and break up the argument but the dark cloud that passed over Sera's face told him to stay out for now.

"You, more than anyone, understand why I must do this. You didn't object when I killed Koharu Kabane." Kyousuke pointed out with growing irritation.

"That was a different situation and you know it!" Sera replied.

"The only difference is the crime. The punishment deserved is the same."

"No, this is still different, I'm telling you! This isn't us foiling some assassination plot, this is you, and only you, being consumed by the desire to get revenge and hiding behind that part of your code to get away with it! Can't you move on?!"

"I would be bringing great disgrace upon myself."

"Because that's all that matters, right?"

"May I ask why you're so hostile to this all of a sudden? I was under the impression you supported my endeavors from the start."

Sera didn't want to say it. She didn't want to bring herself under fire or go to far. The more reasonable voice inside her head was having plenty of sway when it came to that. Still, it needed to be poked at, at least. She needed to know if it was true. If he hadn't let go of Saeko yet.

"Dammit you're MY man, Kyousuke! Don't you even care?! Do I even get a say in this?!" She roared. Kyousuke's eyes flashed in realization and anger.

"Watch your tongue, woman! Do not assume what my motivations are!" He roared back, standing and slamming a closed fist down on the table top. Connie flinched backwards.

"Don't talk to me like I'm some simpering heiress who'll defer to the man of the house. We are in a relationship, Ishuu Kyousuke! That means that we BOTH makes sacrifices, we BOTH look out for one another."

The argument had drawn the attention of anyone present in the main chamber at the moment. In short order, the two noticed a growing shadow and looked over as Makarov loomed over them. There was a long pause before he started to shrink again, satisfied his mere presence had defused the immediate situation.

"Kyousuke, might we have a word?" He asked.

The swordsman nodded rapidly and felt a bit of relief as he walked along. If anyone would be able to convince Sera, it would be Master Makarov. All Kyousuke had to do was explain things more in depth to the man and maybe he could help Sera see things from the swordsman's perspective. They retreated to Makarov's office and Makarov pulled out a pair of mats from behind a stack of papers. Kyousuke looked around and cocked a brow.

"What's with all this paper, Master?" He asked. Makarov let out a long breath in frustration.

"The usual after dealing with one of Natsu's outings." He explained. Kyousuke nodded in near-immediate understanding.

"Perhaps we should talk later? You seem to be preoccupied with other matters."

"This is nothing new; I'm making sure that more problems don't pile up on top of it."

Makarov motioned to the mat across from him and Kyousuke took a seat. Fairy Tail's leader did the same and got straight to the point.

"What's happening, Kyousuke?" He asked.

"Are you familiar with what has happened over the past few days, Master Makarov?" Kyousuke replied. The older man nodded.

"I would certainly hope so with how visible it's been. Sera seems to have taken a less favorable view on the whole affair."

"She unfortunately has. I was hoping she would understand and be eager to see an end to this too."

"Did she explain why?"

Kyousuke's face betrayed annoyance for a minute.

"She asserts that I'm not following my code and rather am infatuated with revenge."

Makarov nodded pensively and rubbed his chin.

"I see…"

He looked at Kyousuke with a firm expression.

"Why do you think she's come to that conclusion?"

Kyousuke's face fell.

"That's the problem. She, more than anyone, should understand why I feel such a strong conviction to this. Why I have to do this, and yet she now opposes it." He explained.

"I heard her shouting about your relationship. Perhaps it's the fact that she feels you're neglecting that?"

"I would never neglect Sera!" Kyousuke objected. Makarov calmed him and nodded in understanding.

"Don't worry Kyousuke, I'm not accusing you of doing that." He stressed. Kyousuke took in a breath and nodded.

"My apologies Master; the situation's growing rather stressful and suddenly at that, too." He explained. Makarov again nodded.

"Then perhaps it's a good idea that we address this as soon as we can. I'm not going to tell you what to do, Kyousuke. While I consider all in this guild to be my children, I do not tell them how to live their lives unless I have a very good reason. I will, however, advise you to consider this situation more before you make a decision. Sera, your code, everything."

Kyousuke's face tensed, and again he nodded in understanding.

"I understand, Master Makarov."…

Sera had isolated herself from the rest of her normal group of friends and as much of the rest of the guild as she could. That meant taking a few books and relegating herself to a corner of the guild's main hall that rarely anyone came to. If nothing else books always helped her forget her problems. Right now the last thing she wanted to think about was her blockheaded boyfriend and his equally blockheaded teammate tearing off to grab some psychotic businessman who had probably fled the country at this point. And for what? Kyousuke's honor? No no she knew what the real reason was, or at least she could drive hard enough to make her assumption true. Sera's gaze fell towards the book on the table but she didn't read anything on the pages. All she could do was compare herself to Saeko, or rather list off all the things Saeko held over her. Grace, probably beauty, wealth, and all Sera could do was protest that at least her boobs were bigger. That was a real coup de grace she thought sarcastically: I'm busty, I truly am the superior one.

 _There you go, still thinking about it_ she told herself. Sear folded her arms over the book and laid her head down. She didn't have the slightest clue what she should do now. She didn't want to ask anyone, either, in fact she just felt like sitting there until something good happened or the answer came to her. Maybe Makarov would forbid Kyousuke and Connie from going lest they get booted from the guild or whatnot. She could hope for a dozen different things and maybe they'd happen, maybe. For now she'd wait, and that's what she did. She waited to the point that she dozed off.

"Sera."

By the time she heard her name, she'd lost track of time. Sera jolted awake when she realized she was asleep atop one of her books and stood up straight, searching the pages with her eyes in the hope that she hadn't drooled on the object. When she found her fears were all for naught, she relaxed. Gitana's hand came into view from the right and replaced the book with a plate of pasta and tomato sauce.

"You kind of forgot about your soup and it got cold." Her friend explained.

Sera nodded quietly and stabbed the fork into the dish to capture some of the noodles. Gitana sat down opposite her and waited. Sera avoided her gaze for several minutes before she looked up and shrunk a little. Gitana was being unusually silent and not talking to her was starting to work against

"So I'm guessing you're here to talk some sense into me." She mumbled. Gitana sighed and held up a single finger.

"Yes…Hun, I'm gonna tell you that Kyousuke is probably the closest you're gonna get to a perfect man." Gitana said in a far less sympathetic tone. The phrase "Hun" was a clear indicator that Gitana wasn't impressed with you. Sera wasn't impressed either.

"Thanks for boosting my self-esteem, Gitana." Sear replied bitterly.

"This isn't about your self-esteem, Sera. This about you and Kyousuke needing to handle things properly."

"He's being stubborn!"

"So are you."

"Gitana you can't be agreeing with him on this! This isn't following his code anymore!"

"I can't make a call on that. I don't know enough about the details of that to judge."

Sera let out a frustrated breath and sat back in her seat. Gitana gave herself a second to calm down and placed her hands on the table.

"Okay, I'm going to get to the point. BOTH of you are acting like this wasn't going to happen inevitably and it would be some big carefree romance novel where the only problems were whether or not you should kiss him this soon. Sera, I know you're smarter than this. There is a far more productive way to do this than yelling at one another. I have been in enough relationships to tell you, no, remind you, that it never gets solved that way." Gitana sighed.

"Remind me? This is my first serious relationship!" Sera shot back.

"Yes but like I said you're smarter than this."

There was a pause, and then Sera slowed down her counterargument and took a minute to consider what Gitana was getting at. She let out a frustrated breath and buried her face in her hands.

"Okay, you're right Gitana. The issue is I don't know what to do. Yes, I felt like this was going to be far easier than it was. I grew up with the hope that I'd be that one lucky girl who gets her knight in shining armor and swept off my feet to be carried off into the sunset."

"I understand Sera."

"Okay…so we need to reconcile…but Gitana, I can't let him go out and do this. I can't let him take this risk. I don't want to see him get hurt for something that's not worth it."

"I understand Sera, but know that you might not get that, okay? If nothing else, you trust that Kyousuke can handle himself, right?"

"…Yes."

"That being said I can understand why you don't want him to go."

"Yes."

"Okay, first you ned to calm him down. Reconcile things between you before you try and convince him to let this go."

"Right."

"Firstly, I'd deal with that assumption on his reasoning for this. Even if that's really it, that was no way to handle things."

"I understand."

"Next I think you two should go and enjoy some time together. Talk a little bit about the issue at hand, but otherwise focus on things that aren't heavy."

"Then when should we talk about the issue at hand?"

"After that, maybe the next morning."

"But what if Kyousuke leaves before that?"

"Then make sure he doesn't, Sera. Kyousuke may be stubborn too, but he's neither deaf nor stupid. I think you're overestimating this hurtle."

Sera nodded and rubbed her temples. After a few deep breaths, she opened her eyes and nodded.

"Well no reason to hesitate. Is he still talking with Master Makarov?"

"He went towards his room and I haven't seen him leave."

Sera nodded and started gathering her books. Gitana stopped her with a polite clearing of her throat and nodded at the rest of the pasta.

"You'll wanna do this with a full stomach, Sera. Energy and all that. Besides we can't be wasting foo." Gitana said, smirking humorously at the end.

Sera nodded hurriedly and sat back down, shoving the books aside with care so she could eat. She practically inhaled the pasta before she went back to getting her books. Sera stacked them up and lifted them off the table.

"If you have makeup sex, make sure to play it safe!" Gitana sang.

Sera lowered her face so the books would hide her blush at least a little. She dropped off her books at her room before she hurried on to Kyousuke's room. She stopped on her way and considered how she should word what she had to say. Maybe it would be better to do this later? No, she quickly realized, time was something she didn't have a whole lot of. She'd have to follow Gitana's advice and take a more diplomatic approach. She just hoped Kyousuke's nerves hadn't been rubbed too raw by their argument. She grimaced, and then stood up as tall as she could and knocked on the door.

"Kyousuke?" She asked loudly, cautiously.

There was a long pause before she heard footsteps and the door opened. Kyousuke greeted her with a somewhat guilty look on his face. They stood in silence a minute more before Kyousuke stood to the side and nodded.

"Please, come in." He nodded.

She scurried in and looked for a seat, then remembered Kyousuke had none. She turned around and Kyousuke motioned towards his bed. Sera shyly grabbed a seat on the bed and waited until he was sitting next to her. Kyousuke shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat.

"Master Makarov and I talked." He announced.

"Oh?" Sera asked, trying to sound surprised.

"He asked that I consider this situation further before I make a decision."

"I see…Kyousuke?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry for assuming your reasons for what you're doing. I got…well jealous. I felt unimportant and angered by it."

Her boyfriend shrunk a little in shame. Sera kept her reactions from the surface as he nodded softly.

"I apologize for both my stubbornness, and for letting my reaction to this entire affair start to smell more of revenge than justice." He whispered.

"I have been doing my best to move on, but…well, I can't exactly put it into words I feel would convey the message." The swordsman went on with a sigh. He looked at Sera and blushed in embarrassment.

"It makes me feel like I'm ungrateful for you." He explained. Sera sighed and looked down at her shoes, unable to find a good response.

"You know I was hoping that this wouldn't be just you apologizing." She muttered after a long minute.

"Then perhaps we should move on to the bigger matter at hand." Kyousuke pointed out.

"I still object to what you're doing, Kyousuke…but at the same time I know I don't control what you do. You won't lose me for this just…Just know that I don't think I can ever see this the same way you do."

"Don't worry, Sera. It'll likely take me a few days to decide whether or not I should do what I originally planned."

"I see…"

"In the meantime I would like to spend some time with you. I don't plan to die if I chase down Fargoue, but I don't want to the last memory I have of us to be an argument. I know you don't agree with what I may do, but would it be too much of me to ask to at least set out to do it with better memories?"

Sera's face lit up a bit and she agreed readily.

"I think that's what we both need." She said. He smiled back and leaned towards her. She blushed lightly and closed her eyes, but opened them again when she didn't feel their lips touch. Kyousuke looked a little

"May I?" He asked.

"You don't have to ask anymore, Kyousuke."

He brought their lips together and then took her hands in his. Sera scooted closer in the hopes of encouraging him to take her in his arms. He got the message and pulled her into a deep embrace. She slid her arms around his torso and pushed her lips against his harder. She felt a tingle run through her limbs at the feeling of his body against hers. Kyousuke felt his face getting warm as she pressed up against him. He felt himself tense in an instant when the softest moan escaped her lips when he parted them. He pulled away for air and was greeted by the sight of her breathing heavy, face flushed and chest heaving. After a few seconds he pulled her back into another kiss. She practically jumped to him and gladly resumed the kissing. She considered the bed they were sitting on, then slowed herself before she went too far. She pulled away again and hid her face. Kyousuke flashed the smallest smile and cleared his throat.

"I must say that was quite good…I may stay in order to experience more of this kind of romance." He said.

Sera chuckled nervously and quickly got off the bed, Kyousuke following her. He pulled her back into his arms.

"Down boy." She ordered with a playful smile. Kyousuke did, and then leaned towards her ear.

"I would be lying yet again if I said that I would not ravish you at your command, My Lady Seraphim." He whispered in a surprisingly lustful tone. Her eyes widened and she hit Kyousuke lightly on the arm.

"Kyousuke!" She blushed, looking away. He smirked. It was getting far too fun teasing her like this. Sera wouldn't admit it, but she liked when he did it.


	21. Chp 21: Crossroads

_Chp. 21: Crossroads_

 _Near Lake Scilliora_

Kyousuke had gotten up early that morning to go and think. He'd found the lake was a nice, tranquil place to do so. Sera was due to meet him here later for breakfast, so this way he could do what he needed to do without being late. Hopefully she'd notice the note he'd slipped under her door. After that Kyousuke walked to the lake and took a seat in the shade of a handful of trees. A gentle breeze carried the scent of nature across the shore. It felt good, relaxing and warm. Kyousuke smiled and opened his eyes for a brief moment. For all the memories of isolation and loneliness that being in nature brought, at the same time he appreciated its beauty and simplicity. It helped clear his mind, and for the first time in a few days, maybe longer, he felt like things were peaceful. Peace and security…those were the things he strived to uphold, as he'd been taught when he'd chosen his current life.

Kyousuke closed his eyes again and returned to the less peaceful things. He still faced the decision of whether or not he should finish what Fargoue had built. His first reaction was that he should; it was his duty. He had always seen his code as inflexible, absolute in its instructions. Evil was to be routed out completely and like a disease it wasn't routed until it had been vanquished completely. Perhaps he'd vanquished it, though? Fargoue certainly seemed to have lost the ability to do anything that would cause harm. He was like a rabbit caught in a snare, alive but unable to escape his demise. Kyousuke could close like a hunter would, or he could let him bleed. It certainly would take little effort if the man no longer had assassins and henchmen to shield him. To his brethren there would be no wrongdoing in finishing the man. That was if he ever ran across another and they learned of this whole affair, he thought with the flash of a cynical smile.

There were consequences in doing it, though. The two that would affect him the most would be the damage to his relationship with Sera and by extension Fairy Tail. It pained him to admit but Saeko still lingered in his mind sometimes. He'd never known love before her and he would be cursed until his own death with the memory that she'd died in his arms, just after he'd reunited with her. Sera had shown her distaste for it, even after she'd apologized. It felt like they'd been together much longer, but he felt like he'd done so little. He felt ungrateful for all she'd done. She made him feel…at ease. Understood and wanted; she felt like a friend as much as she did a lover. Her shy, sometimes klutzy nature and the way her eyes and face seemed to light up over her passions. She was beautiful as well, and he'd found that despite himself he felt his desire to protect her flared often. More than anything she'd also tolerated his inexperience with romance and his constant focus on his teachings.

It felt like the whole guild had gone out of its way to tolerate him and welcome him. Lucy had guided him to their hall as soon as he'd asked. He was told he WOULD be considered family, not that he might. He'd found what he'd desired and that was a home that welcomed him. He started to realize that not only would he distance Sera from him, he would also distance the guild. They might understand, or try to, but like Sera it might be easy for them to see it as nothing more than revenge. Connie would perhaps stick by him, but then again Connie was also very supportive of Sera. He'd given Kyousuke a good thrashing just for being dense about her feelings. If that became the case, he'd grow apart from the others. He may even find himself cast out, just as Makarov's grandson had been.

Kyousuke felt a panicked shiver run up his spine. Perhaps though, Kyousuke thought again, he had already finished him? There were some who would argue yes, namely the man who'd trained him. His mind quickly sought to find a way he could justify that argument, at least to him. He fell back on what he'd originally been taught by the man who'd trained him. He found himself frowning for a minute. His Sensei had left the life, and had taken on the then-hotheaded youth only because he pitied that the boy otherwise had no chance at a future. He'd been pretty critical about the organization and their codes. Kyousuke wondered if he should go visit the man to get some advice on what he should do. It would take time, but at least it would help him reach his decision. Given how much the man badmouthed the organization, it was a wonder that Kyousuke had followed the code so closely. A sign of his desire to be a Lightning Swordsman coupled with his stubborn streak, the young man guessed.

His Sensei would probably tell him to stay. It was over, and now Kyousuke had more important things to tend to. That thought seemed to spark something; Kyousuke recalled something he'd learned when he was training. It was a phrase, though he didn't know its origin: You can't fix a damn by leaving one leak to tend to another. So in turn, he would simply be helping one problem by tending to the other. Kyousuke couldn't find it in him to accept it at that, but it at least made the guilt he was bringing upon himself feel like it was shrinking. He'd likely be wise to stay here, then. Kyousuke opened his eyes a felt a sting of guilt inside him. It was almost as if he were running from his sworn duty. Kyousuke hoped that was only him being too harsh on himself.

"Kyousuke!"

The young man looked in the direction of the familiar voice and saw Sera holding up a hand as she approached with a blanket and picnic basket. He smiled and got to his feet to meet her as she approached. Sera felt a bit nervous as she got closer to him. He'd been thinking about whether or not he should go after Fargoue for a few days, and while she'd kept herself from trying to influence his opinion with words, she'd been quietly hoping that he'd stay. She'd tried to stay close to him, show him affection, and things like that. She knew she shouldn't, but dammit she wasn't going to let him go without a fight, then now and ever. She let those feelings fade away as he lowered his lips to hers. They went back towards where he'd been sitting and set up under the shade of a few trees up the slope. Sera had brought beef jerky, bread with butter, water and fruit juice. They ate in silence for a few minutes. Sera glanced towards her boyfriend a few times while he was eating. The young man nodded as he ate a piece of bread.

"This is very good bread." He nodded.

"Fresh from the bakery; got one of the first loaves they put out." Sera replied with a smile.

"Early bird gets the bread loaf, I suppose."

The two chuckled before they lapsed into silence again. The Solid-Script Mage looked for something to talk about, like the scenery or more about the food. The biggest issue at hand kept nagging at her, though. She came to something after a few minutes.

"I was thinking maybe we should go on another job. You, me and Connie." She spoke up. Kyousuke looked at her and she took a bite of her bread as she tried to get together the right words.

"I…sorry that was me trying to segway towards what you're going to do." Sera sighed.

"No need to apologize." He replied simply.

The swordsman's smile was more forced now. He looked towards the water and tried to figure out how he should best segway into the subject, too. In the end a simple answer was the best way.

"We should; it feels like it's been a long time since we've done such a thing." He agreed. Sera stared at him a minute, then quickly looked down at her fruit juice as she took a sip.

"So does this mean you're staying?" She asked softly after. He nodded.

"It isn't worth jeopardizing what I now consider my home and the relationship I have with those around me." He sighed. Kyousuke then smiled.

"While it may be hard for me to come to terms with it or justify it quickly, I do believe it would be wiser to protect what is more important rather than running off after every single criminal I happen to see." He added. Sera nodded in a mix of agreement and understanding. The young woman looked down at her food, then flashed him a brief smile.

"Thank you for staying, Kyousuke."

"Of course, Sera." He replied. The swordsman leaned over and kissed her cheek. Sera flushed and returned the kiss to his cheek.

"I love you…very much." She whispered awkwardly.

"And I love you very much as well." He replied.

Sera scooted over and leaned against him; he pulled her into his embrace and let her rest her head on his shoulder. She felt warm, comforting in a way. Like he was safe with her and he'd never have to worry again. It made his choice feel all the more justified…

* * *

Vincent Fargoue had come to Fiore with a dream and the means to reach it. He left with little more than what he could carry. In the interest of bettering his chances, he'd long stopped wearing the tailored suits and had instead taken to making himself look like a lowly peasant. The only thing that might give him away were the suitcases he carried, stuffed with what valuables he could find and more clothes. No more first-class cabins on trains or ships, a point highlighted by him curled up in the corner of a ship's lowest class with many others fleeing Fiore in hopes of finding a better life elsewhere. He stayed away from everyone else despite shaving and letting his hair grow. Every time he thought about it, the man shivered with cold fury. The desire to lash out was frequent, but he had to stuff it down. _In time, Vincent, in time…_ He thought to himself.

He replaced the feeling of anger and despair by reminding himself that he'd gotten away. In another example of its weaknesses, he'd easily been able to disappear when his camp had been attacked, then even more easily been able to bribe his way onto this boat, past any checks the government might do to guard against smuggling or fleeing criminals. Vincent stifled a snicker at the thought; Fiore would never bother to go beyond its borders to try and get him, not without word getting out. By then he'd simply run once again, or by then he'd be someone else. He mulled briefly on what name he might change to now. Something that retained the aristocratic feeling that his current name did, he decided. It certainly helped him over the fact that he was out of the game in Fiore for a long time.

At first he'd simply been under some suspicion, but now he was a full-blown fugitive. Nicholas Kleary had apparently been arrested, turned in by Fairy Tail of all things, and Fargoue didn't trust the man to stay quiet forever. Going back to The Frontier was out of the question, at least for now. He was certain Mumfred would be looking for a chance to get Fargoue. He'd tried to take the older man's life, after all, and Mumfred was not the kind of man to forgive something like that. There were also rumors floating around that his homeland had become a little more dangerous. For a second he was glad he as little more than a beggar right now; business tycoons were apparently becoming unpopular over there. For now he had to seek refuge in the Kingdom of Stella. The only reason he'd chosen it was because it wasn't a place those after him would expect to find him. _No_ , he thought, _I'll return to Fiore eventually to take care of the one last piece of business there_.

It was going to take time to gather what he needed, but he'd go back to get revenge against the man who'd caused his plans to fall apart. He didn't have very much to go off of, even with Nicholas's skills, but he had a basic idea. From what he gathered, the man was something called a "Lightning Swordsman". A group of roving fighters that used lightning-based magic combined with the weapon that formed part of their title. He also had one very important lead, and that was that this man was part of Fairy Tail. He'd heard the guild was a pig-headed bunch and a tightly-knit bunch, but everything had a weakness. It was only a matter of time before he found that weakness and exploited it. Fargoue smiled to himself, further comforted by the fact that he was down, but not out. Stella might even hold his real fortunes. _I will find you, Swordsman…and I will treat myself to the satisfaction of killing you myself, even if it's with my bare hands_ He thought. He just had to keep being patient, and one day he'd get to see that sight. Vincent Fargoue, or whoever he'd be in his new life, had a new dream…

* * *

They called themselves "Lunar Moth". At first glance that name seemed to suggest that they were another one of the many guilds that dotted Fiore. They were a guild, but they were very different from most of the guilds people usually thought of, legal and dark. Lunar Moth was more or less a means for groups of bandits in the area to meet, hide, and on occasion forge temporary alliances. It's "guild hall" wasn't a building, but rather a secluded part of forest with a few hovels made out of woods, plants, and rocks. It was rarely occupied by more than a dozen people at a time, but it was the one place that anyone with the right knowledge could come to.

The area was a little busy today after a very successful raid on the small port of Guard Point some miles to the south. They were all smiles over the decent haul they'd pulled from a pair of merchant ships. One of them had snuck off with his share to hide some of it away. He picked his way through some tall grass and down into a ravine that wrapped back around into the woods where the others were gathered. He knelt down and removed a few rocks next to the bank. The man eased himself in, valuables first, and set them in a cubby buried a few feet down there. A simple hiding spot but one that he'd made look like just another rock in the countryside. The thief made his trip quick to keep suspicious away from him. As soon as the selected items were hidden away, he hurried back on another route. He came around the far side of the hill that shielded much of the camp, slowing to a casual pace.

As he approached the nearest group of people, he caught movement at the right edge of his vision. The man subconsciously opened a hand to pull out one of his Tonfas and saw a blanket of fog roll down the hill. It rolled in far faster than he'd ever seen, almost like it was alive. The rest of the camp stirred as they were enveloped in the shroud. The thief pulled out both his weapons and took a few steps forward, glancing back over his shoulder every other second. This could easily be a plot by someone here in Lunar Moth. There was a flash of blue, followed by a shout of pain. The thief tensed and kept his eyes on where he'd seen the phenomena, but suddenly it pulsed again to his left, far from where it originally had. He tensed as the sound of metal clanging against something followed, and then a female voice yelled the word "steel" off to his right. A man that was just inside his field of vision was hit and sent tumbling back by…an I-Beam?

The thief looked forward as he heard footsteps and raised his weapons. He summoned his courage. Then, out of the gloom came three figures. The first was a towering hulk of a man with some kind of pole or bar in his grip. The second appeared to be a short woman carrying a pen and a large bag. The last was a man with a ponytail and a sword. As details came into view, a crooked line of lightning raced up his blade. The thief charged him and the swordsman met his weapon with his own. Kyousuke was surprised but smirked at the challenge.

"Who the fuck are you?" His opponent spat. Kyousuke replied readily.

"I am Ishuu Kyousuke of Fairy Tail, and these are my guildmates…we've come to see to the disbanding of your so-called guild."

The "stray dog swordsman" was no more.

 _End_

* * *

 _ **A/N: Thank you for reading.**_


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